title: Assessment of psychiatric morbidity in patients attending a colposcopy clinic situated in a genitourinary medicine clinic.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the adverse psychological implications of referral for colposcopic screening within a genitourinary medicine clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  A colposcopy clinic held within a genitourinary medicine clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  160 consecutive women referred to the clinic were assessed for psychiatric morbidity using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Women were referred to the colposcopy clinic because of one or more of the following: abnormal cervical cytology, condylomata acuminata, HIV antibody positivity. A history of prior local ablative therapy to the cervix was also included in the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in psychiatric morbidity, as detected by the GHQ-28, in women referred to the clinic because of abnormal cervical cytology or condylomata acuminata. The total GHQ-28 scores indicated a significant increase in psychiatric morbidity, with increased sub-scores indicating social dysfunction, anxiety and somatic symptoms, in women who had had prior laser therapy to the cervix. Women with HIV infection attending the clinic were noted to have an increase in GHQ-28 sub-scores indicating social dysfunction and depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women who have undergone laser therapy to the cervix may benefit from psychological evaluation and supportive measures if they develop further genital lesions which require colposcopic evaluation. Women with HIV infection need further psychological evaluation prior to planning intervention and preventative strategies.
authors.affiliation: John Hunter Clinic, London, UK.
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Boag
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Dillon
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Catalan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Barton
mesh_terms: D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D003127:Colposcopy / Q000523:psychology*; D003218:Condylomata Acuminata / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000523:psychology; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology