The “Society for Mental Health in LAMIC (SoMHiL) is a subcommittee of Environment, Culture, Health Orientation (E.C.H.O.) that has been registered under the Societies Registration Act. XXI of 1860 at the Office of the Registrar of Firms & Societies, Assam, India in Guwahati on 19 October 2004 with No. RS/KAM/240/U/190 of 2004-2005. SoMHiL strives to promote research in behavioural sciences related to mental health among the Low and Middle Income Countries (LAMIC).”[1] “On a broader perspective, focusing on mental health as a whole or for that matter behavioural science in this region is what the Society for Mental Health in LAMIC (SoMHiL) aims to work for.”[2]
Having a platform in the form of a journal to publish research works in this regard can go a long way in the development of behavioural science in the region. LAMIC Psychiatry, by name is proposed to be the journal for the same and is planned to be released with active cooperation of all the behavioural scientists working in this region. Original research papers will solve the main purpose, although review articles and case reports are also most welcome. On behalf of SoMHiL, Academy Publisher[3] will be publishing the LAMIC Psychiatry. Let us all work towards this end. Suggestions and comments are most welcome.
Two publications worth mentioning in this line here are: “Indexation of psychiatric journals from low- and middle-income countries: a survey and a case study”[4] and “The 5/95 gap in the indexation of psychiatric journals of low- and middle-income countries”.[5]
References
1. Society for Mental Health in LAMIC. SoMHiL [Internet]. 2016 [cited 2016 Dec 13]. Available from: http://somhil.wixsite.com/echo
2. Das S, Dutta A. SoMHiL and OJPAS™: “like a rolling stone”. Open J Psychiatry Allied Sci [serial online]. 2016 Dec 10 [cited 2016 Dec 13]. [Epub ahead of print] Available from: http://www.ojpas.com/get_file.php?id=31506917&vnr=299385
3. Academy Publisher. Home [Internet]. 2015 [cited 2016 Dec 13]. Available from: http://academypublisher.co.in/
4. Kieling C, Herrman H, Patel V, Mari Jde J. Indexation of psychiatric journals from low- and middle-income countries: a survey and a case study. World Psychiatry. 2009;8:40-4.
5. Mari JJ, Patel V, Kieling C, Razzouk D, Tyrer P, Herrman H. The 5/95 gap in the indexation of psychiatric journals of low- and middle-income countries. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2010;121:152-6.