Patterns of first admissions in a psychiatric outpatient clinic in Trinidad - abstract

ABSTRACT

The aim of the study was to describe the pattern of first admissions to a psychiatric outpatient clinic in Trinidad. During 1990 a prospective study was done on 147 consecutive new cases that presented at the Tacarigua Health Centre. An incidence of 1.2/1000 was found with an average of 12 new patients/month. There were no differences in sex distribution. The average age of males was 35.6 years and 38.8 for females. Fifty-five point seven per cent of the sample were of African origin and 36.7 percent were of East Indian origin (p<0.005). Mood disorders were almost twice as common in females (37.0 percent) as in males (21.6 percent) p<0.01. Schizophrenia was almost twice as common in males as females (16.2 percent vs 8.2 percent, p<0.1). Psychoactive substances use disorders were four times more common in organic mental disorders in the men (12.2 percent). Major differences in demographic and diagnostic data in the two major ethnic groups suggest a need for culturally relevant programmes. Community clinics at the moment are underutilised and there is a need for the use of these clinics as a first illness contact station. The treatment of substance abusers is a burden to the psychiatric services and ought to be separated (AU)