C Fullerton1, R Florenzano, J Acuña. 1. Departamento de Psiquiatría y Salud Mental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: As a part of the World Health Organization multicentric study of emotional disorders in general medical care, we studied patients who had a chronic medical ailment and a psychiatric disorder, according to ICD-10. AIM: To report the prevalence of patients with coexisting medical and psychiatric disorders. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients, aged 15 to 65 years old, consulting in primary care outpatient clinics, were interviewed using a general health questionnaire. In a second phase, patients with chronic medical disorders were subjected to the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Instrument. RESULTS: Sixty nine percent of interviewed Chilean patients had a medical condition, compared to 60.3% of the global study group. Of these, 66% had a coexisting psychiatric diagnosis, compared to 31% of the global study group. The most frequent diagnoses in the Chilean sample were somatization disorders in 25%, harmful alcohol use in 14%, depression in 35% and hypochondriasis in 6%. There was a higher prevalence and odds ratio for psychiatric diagnoses among Chilean women. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with chronic medical disorders should be considered a high risk group for the coexistence of psychiatric disturbances.
BACKGROUND: As a part of the World Health Organization multicentric study of emotional disorders in general medical care, we studied patients who had a chronic medical ailment and a psychiatric disorder, according to ICD-10. AIM: To report the prevalence of patients with coexisting medical and psychiatric disorders. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients, aged 15 to 65 years old, consulting in primary care outpatient clinics, were interviewed using a general health questionnaire. In a second phase, patients with chronic medical disorders were subjected to the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Instrument. RESULTS: Sixty nine percent of interviewed Chilean patients had a medical condition, compared to 60.3% of the global study group. Of these, 66% had a coexisting psychiatric diagnosis, compared to 31% of the global study group. The most frequent diagnoses in the Chilean sample were somatization disorders in 25%, harmful alcohol use in 14%, depression in 35% and hypochondriasis in 6%. There was a higher prevalence and odds ratio for psychiatric diagnoses among Chilean women. CONCLUSIONS:Patients with chronic medical disorders should be considered a high risk group for the coexistence of psychiatric disturbances.
Authors: Ana Verena Galvão-Castro; Ney Boa-Sorte; Ramon Almeida Kruschewsky; Maria Fernanda Rios Grassi; Bernardo Galvão-Castro Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2011-11-23 Impact factor: 4.147