PSYCHIATRIC MORBIDITY AMONG PATIENTS ATTENDING MEDICAL OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT

Patients attending the General Medical Out-patient department of a public hospital were selected randomly and screened by a physician and a psychiatrist independently. The data on 258 patients reveal an overall psychiatric morbidity of 36% consisting of 24% pure psychiatric illnesses and 12% with associated organic problems. Females are found to be suffering from psychiatric illnesses to a statistically significantly greater extent as compared to males. Symptoms related to the head and the central nervous system, psychological symptoms and sleep disturbances are significantly more in the psychiatrically ill group. Functional patients have on an average more presenting complaints as compared to the “organic” i.e. physically ill patient (2.73 against 1.96). Other relevant findings are discussed in comparison with other studies.