Geopsychiatry and its integration into psychiatry residency curricula: A very first global survey for faculty and psychiatry residents

Geopsychiatry, an emerging field, explores the interaction between environmental factors and mental health, addressing how sociopolitical, economic, and ecological crises impact psychological well-being. Despite its relevance, Geopsychiatry is largely absent from psychiatric training curricula globally. This study aimed to evaluate the current integration of Geopsychiatry in psychiatry residency programs worldwide, and to understand the perceptions of faculty and residents regarding its importance in clinical training. This mixed-methods cross-sectional study collected data from 401 psychiatry faculty members and residents across various regions via an online survey from May to September 2024. The survey assessed familiarity with Geopsychiatry, perceived importance of its inclusion in psychiatric education, and barriers to integration. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including chi-square tests, were conducted to evaluate the associations among participant demographics, knowledge, and interest levels. The findings revealed limited knowledge of Geopsychiatry, with only 4.2 % of the participants reporting high familiarity. Nonetheless, 62.6 % viewed its inclusion in psychiatric education as “very important,” particularly those from Latin America and MENA regions. A lack of faculty expertise (48.1 %) and insufficient resources (52.9 %) were cited as significant barriers. However, participation in training activities was significantly associated with higher levels of familiarity (χ 2 = 83.063, p < 0.001), underscoring the importance of educational access. Collaborative efforts also enhanced research opportunities in Geopsychiatry (χ 2 = 59.530, p < 0.001). There is a significant gap between the perceived importance of Geopsychiatry and its formal inclusion in training programs. Expanding training opportunities, particularly through online modules and inter-institutional collaborations, may support the integration of this field into psychiatric education, addressing the growing need to prepare future psychiatrists for mental health challenges posed by environmental changes.

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Publication Details

Journal
Geopsychiatry
Published
2025-04-17
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geopsy.2025.100004
Citations
5
Primary Topic
Health and Medical Research Impacts
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
9.39
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article

Geopsychiatry and its integration into psychiatry residency curricula: A very first global survey for faculty and psychiatry residents

Joana Corrêa de Magalhães Narvaez, Pichet Udomratn, Rowalt Alibudbud, Geraint Day et al.
5 citations
Geopsychiatry
Health and Medical Research Impacts
9.39
article

Geopsychiatry and its integration into psychiatry residency curricula: A very first global survey for faculty and psychiatry residents

Joana Corrêa de Magalhães Narvaez, Pichet Udomratn, Rowalt Alibudbud, Geraint Day, Koravangattu Valsraj, Audrey McMahon, Tarek Okasha, Iván Barrios, Anthon Daniel Torres-Romero, Albert Persaud, N. Marić Bojović, Michael Liebrenz, Kanthee Anantapong, Dinesh Bhugra, Afzal Javed, Júlio Torales, Rachel Tribe, Joseph El‐Khoury, Yunyu Xiao, Jelena Vasić, Myrna Lashley, Helena Ferreira Moura, Michael Campbell, Oyedeji Ayonrinde, Егор Чумаков, Anna Buadze, Khalid A. Mufti, João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia, Davendranand Sharma, Mia Atoui, Antonio Ventriglio, Haneefa Merchant, Padmavati Ramanchandran
article en
5 citations

Abstract

Geopsychiatry, an emerging field, explores the interaction between environmental factors and mental health, addressing how sociopolitical, economic, and ecological crises impact psychological well-being. Despite its relevance, Geopsychiatry is largely absent from psychiatric training curricula globally. This study aimed to evaluate the current integration of Geopsychiatry in psychiatry residency programs worldwide, and to understand the perceptions of faculty and residents regarding its importance in clinical training. This mixed-methods cross-sectional study collected data from 401 psychiatry faculty members and residents across various regions via an online survey from May to September 2024. The survey assessed familiarity with Geopsychiatry, perceived importance of its inclusion in psychiatric education, and barriers to integration. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including chi-square tests, were conducted to evaluate the associations among participant demographics, knowledge, and interest levels. The findings revealed limited knowledge of Geopsychiatry, with only 4.2 % of the participants reporting high familiarity. Nonetheless, 62.6 % viewed its inclusion in psychiatric education as “very important,” particularly those from Latin America and MENA regions. A lack of faculty expertise (48.1 %) and insufficient resources (52.9 %) were cited as significant barriers. However, participation in training activities was significantly associated with higher levels of familiarity (χ 2 = 83.063, p < 0.001), underscoring the importance of educational access. Collaborative efforts also enhanced research opportunities in Geopsychiatry (χ 2 = 59.530, p < 0.001). There is a significant gap between the perceived importance of Geopsychiatry and its formal inclusion in training programs. Expanding training opportunities, particularly through online modules and inter-institutional collaborations, may support the integration of this field into psychiatric education, addressing the growing need to prepare future psychiatrists for mental health challenges posed by environmental changes.

GeopsychiatryVol. 1
University of Foggia (IT), University of Bern (CH), Schizophrenia Research Foundation (IN), Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (BR), Universidade de Brasília (BR), St Petersburg University (RU), Universidade de São Paulo (BR), King's College London (GB), National University of Rosario (AR), Kings Health Partners (GB), Universidad Iberoamericana (PY), Universidad de Los Lagos (CL), Fundação do ABC (BR), McGill University (CA), University of Birmingham (GB), Universidad Nacional de Asunción (PY), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (BR)
Quality Education
Openalex Percentile: Top 2%
Health and Medical Research Impacts
9.39
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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