A cross-sectional study of psychiatric morbidity and quality of life among participants utilizing the preventive health-care services of a tertiary hospital

BACKGROUND: The burden of mental disorders has been increasingly recognized and 450 million people globally are suffering from mental illness. Mental–physical comorbidity has adverse effects on the overall outcome. Research is scarce with regard to mental health screening in the context of “preventive health care” in India. Thus, the study aimed to identify the prevalence of mental illness and the effect on quality of life (QOL) among participants attending preventive health-care unit (PHCU). SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in PHCU of a tertiary hospital in Puducherry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All consecutive participants (>18 years) attending PHCU were included in the study. The Standard for Clinicians' Interview in Psychiatry (SCIP) screening module, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) Level 1 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure, Mini-Cog, and Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire were administered. Relevant diagnostic modules of SCIP were applied to participants who screened positive on SCIP. Data analysis was performed using SPSS (version 17.0). RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 43.38 ± 13.99 years. Of 203 participants enrolled, 28.1% screened positive and 26.1% were confirmed to have psychiatric disorder. About 4% screened positive for cognitive impairment. Most commonly diagnosed disorders were alcohol use disorder and major depressive disorder. The prevalence of depressive disorder was higher in patients with physical disorder. Participants with psychiatric disorder alone or with both psychiatric and physical disorders had significantly poorer QOL (F = 27.13; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: One-fourth of the participants attending preventive health-care services were found to have psychiatric disorders. The presence of psychiatric disorder was associated with significantly poorer QOL. This highlights the importance of routine mental health screening in this setting.