Psychiatric morbidity among physically ill persons in eastern Nepal

Nepal Med Coll J. 2009 Jun;11(2):118-22.

Abstract

This cross-sectional hospital-based study investigated the prevalence and pattern of psychiatric morbidity among 151 physically ill psychiatric-referred cases admitted various departments in BPKIHS. Consecutive referral cases were initially worked up by junior residents and diagnosis/differential diagnosis was made by consultant according to ICD-10 diagnostic guidelines. Of total 151; M: 77 (50.9%) and F: 74 (49.1); Majority 38 (25.1%) of subjects were young with age 15-24 yrs and 95 (62.9%) were from plains. About 21.8% referrals came from internal medicine followed by emergency department, 9 (5.9%). The highest number of cases 48 (31.7%) had neuropsychiatric illnesses and 17.0% had some medical complications resulted from suicide act. Among psychiatric co morbidity, dissociative/conversion disorders were the commonest 26 (17.2%) followed by alcohol use-related disorders 25 (16.5%) and depressive disorder 20 (13.2%). To conclude, the co-occurrence of medical and psychological/psychiatric conditions is common, which demands timely identification and early interventions in order to reduce morbidity and mortality.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Comorbidity
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Inpatients / statistics & numerical data*
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Nepal / epidemiology
  • Occupations
  • Prevalence
  • Referral and Consultation
  • Risk Factors