title: The classification of psychiatric morbidity in attenders at a dermatology clinic.
abstract: Of a random sample of new attenders at a dermatology out-patient clinic, 40% were classified as suffering from a psychiatric disorder. There was no correlation between psychiatric morbidity and the severity or site of skin disease. Self-report measures of the behavioural impact of skin disease and attitudes to appearance were related to psychological morbidity. Except in subjects without visible skin pathology (5%) there was no evidence that psychiatric illness was an aetiological factor in the development of skin disease. Self-report measures were used to distinguish between those patients in whom psychiatric morbidity was closely related to skin disease (75%), and those in whom it may be coincidental (20%). Psychological care for the former group is most appropriately provided by physicians, who should be encouraged to improve their detection and management of psychiatric morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Wessely
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015897:Comorbidity; D003880:Dermatology; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000150:complications*