A study of inpatient referral patterns to a general hospital psychiatry unit in India.
The pattern of inpatient referral to a general hospital psychiatry department was examined in the present study. The referral rate of 3.6% was higher than those reported by other investigators from India. The majority of the patients had concurrent physical illness. Neurotic depression and alcohol dependence were the most frequent diagnoses. A diagnosis of schizophrenia was relatively infrequent. Among the patients referred for consultation, there was a high percentage of cases of self-inflicted injury and poisoning. Psychiatric disturbances were of transient nature in about one third of the cases. In about 20% of the cases, no physical illness was detected and their somatic complaints were considered to be psychologically determined.
Srinivasan
K
K
Department of Psychiatry, St. John's Medical College Hospital, Bangalore, India.
Babu
R K
RK
Appaya
P
P
Subrahmanyam
H S
HS
D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000639:trends*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000639:trends*; D012803:Sick Role