Depression in patients referred for psychiatric consultation. A need for a new diagnosis.
The authors analyzed 329 referrals for psychiatric consultation from medical and surgical wards. They found depression to be the most prevalent diagnosis (34%), with Major Depression being the most common DSM-III subtype (49%). Depression was predominant in the elderly (p less than 0.05), in women (p less than 0.05), and in patients with a high degree of psychosocial stressors (p less than 0.01). There were significant differences among the DSM-III subtypes of depression in some of these correlates. The authors emphasize the importance of DSM-III in differentiating among the subtypes of depression in referred patients but they suggest the need for a new diagnosis for depression in the physically ill.
Rosen
D H
DH
Beth Israel Hospital, Boston.
Gregory
R J
RJ
Pollock
D
D
Schiffmann
A
A
D000275:Adjustment Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York; D011570:Psychiatry; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications