PSYCHIATRIC MORBIDITY IN THE MEDICAL OUTPATIENTS OF A GENERAL HOSPITAL

Psychiatric morbidity in the patients attending the medical outpatient clinic of a Urge general hospital was studied using a short 5 - item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). The overall percentage of high scorers, (score 2 and above) was found to be 51% (45% for Males and 59% for Females.). Morbidity was higher in women who were married and those who were widowed or separated. There was no relationship with other sociodemogrphic variables, the duration of the medical illness and the medical diagnosis. 11% of the patients had a psychiatric disorder without any concurrent medical illness. Among the patients with both medical and psychiatric illness, the medical illness preceded psychiatric illness in 28% of the cases, both occured simultaneously in 31% of the cases, while in 41% of the cases, the medical illness followed psychiatric illness.