Some aspects of psychiatric morbidity in the out-patient population of a general hospital.

ABSTRACT

A preliminary report on certain aspects of psychiatric morbidity in persons attending the medical out-patients department of the Institute of Post-graduate Medicine, Dacca, have been presented. Out of 652 cases who have been interviewed, 31% had purely psychogenic conditions, 45% were suffering from purely organic diseases and 14.8% complained of symptoms of both organic and psychogenic features. No apparent underlying aetiology have been detected in 8.6% of cases. Of the psychogenic group, neurotic disorders comprised the largest number in the sample; anxiety state and sexual neurosis in males were the commonest neurotic disorders. When the mixed groups are included, 44% of males and 49.8% of females had symptoms which were either purely psychogenic in nature or had conspicuous psychogenic component. Reason for such a high percentage of psychogenic component has been discussed. Most of the patients attending the out-patient department were within the age of 21 to 40 years. Attendance in the number of older age persons were less in the psychogenic group than with organic conditions. Further, in females a significant difference was observed between psychogenic and organic group patients above and below the age of 40 years. Patients younger than 40 years were more in purely psychogenic group compared to organic conditions. Most of the patients have been found to be married both in psychogenic and organic group. However, there was significant difference in attendance rate of single males in the psychogenic group were somewhat over-represented in the sample in comparison to purely organic group. There was no relation of marital states in cases of females.