Psychiatric morbidity in a gynaecology clinic in Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

PIP: Many studies in developed countries show a high frequency of psychological distress among women attending gynecology clinics. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among 239 women attending a gynecology clinic at Ilorin Maternity Hospital in Nigeria. The aim also was to test the validity of using the 30-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30) as a screening tool. Clinical diagnoses were recorded according to the International Classification of Diseases-Ninth Edition (ICD-9). Psychiatric morbidity was determined according to the method of Deshpande. Literate respondents used a self-administered GHQ-30 and illiterate respondents were interviewed with the GHQ-30. The psychiatric interview was conducted by a research psychiatrist. Patients were grouped into 1) patients with symptoms diagnoses according to ICD-9, 2) cases with subdiagnostic syndromes, and 3) patients without significant psychiatric symptoms. A basic demographic profile of patients is given. Obstetrics and gynecologic data reveal that 31.3% were nulliparous, 44.5% had between 1 and 4 children, and 24.5% had 5-8 children. 64.4% reported regular menses, 21.9% reported scanty menstrual flow, and 64.4% had a normal flow. 17/6% reported a history of induced abortion, and 43.4% reported previous spontaneous abortion. 23.6% had primary infertility and 28.3% had secondary infertility; infertility was the most common complaint. A score of 5 or higher on the GHQ-30 indicated a psychiatric case. 35/2% were found to suffer from definite psychiatric morbidity. An additional 6.4% had severe psychiatric symptoms. Of the psychiatric diagnoses, 34.1% were for neurotic depression, 24.4% for anxiety, 25.7% for adjustment reaction, 12.2% manic depressive psychosis (depressed type), 2.4% phobic state, and 1.2% schizophrenia. Psychiatric morbidity was found to be unrelated to age, marital status, religion, education, occupational group, or duration of marriage. Symptoms such as irregular menses, pelvic pain, ad having no children were factors significantly associated with psychiatric morbidity; this pattern is supported in the developed country literature. Policy should be directed to a preventive and biopsychosocial model of health care.