Forty Years of Care and Research – The Intertwining

Abstract

Translation of research findings to actual clinical practice, now called translational research, is critical in low-resource settings and countries. In India, we have very few centers offering research training and even fewer agencies funding mental health research. It was in this context that the Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF) based in Chennai used many of the research findings and processes to improve clinic and community-based care of persons with mental disorders. Based on 40 years of our experience of working in the community, this article provides an overview of our major research projects and the ways in which the findings that emanated were used in the promotion of better care.