Spirit possession and healing among Chinese psychiatric patients.
This is a study of the illness behaviour of 100 Chinese psychiatric patients referred consecutively to the psychiatric unit of a general hospital in Singapore. More women than men felt that their illness was due to spirit possession; but belief in possession was not related to educational status. Thirty-six patients or their relatives had consulted a traditional healer before going to the hospital. Duration of illness, sex and educational status were not associated with the tendency to seek help from the traditional healer; there was also no significant difference between psychotic or neurotic patients. The majority of depressed patients (72%) presented with somatic complaints of chest discomfort, headache and abdominal discomfort. Somatization was not related to the educational level or sex of the patients.
Kua
E H
EH
Department of Psychological Medicine, National University of Singapore.
Chew
P H
PH
Ko
S M
SM
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008273:Magic; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012803:Sick Role; D012846:Singapore; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D016709:Yin-Yang