[Consultation-liaison psychiatry: a prospective study in a general hospital milieu].
This study was conducted in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in a 740 bed university general hospital. For a period of two years, a prospective collection of data on 692 psychiatric consultations showed that 60% of all consultations came from internal medicine departments. Medical and psychiatric comorbidity was found in 50% of the patients; depression was diagnosed in 27.5% of the cases but schizophrenia in only 1.7%. Suicidal ideation was reported by 24% of the patients, 11.6% of them wishing to die imminently. More than 50% of suicidal patients were under 35 years of age; 42% of them were dependent on alcohol. Almost 30% of the patients seen in consultation admitted to being addicted to alcohol, 22% to benzodiazepines and 14% to illicit drugs. Among the ex-alcoholic patients, a significant dependence in benzodiazepine use was found. The patients with addictions to street drug had a greater suicide risk and were at the same time abusing alcohol. This paper will describe the overall functioning of a consultation-liaison psychiatric service and will analyze the impact of psycho-active substance abuse in a general hospital setting. The results will be compared with those in the literature.
Michalon
M
M
Camp Hill Hospital, Halifax, Nouvelle-Ecosse.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009674:Nova Scotia; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012803:Sick Role; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
La psychiatrie de consultation-liaison: une étude prospective en milieu hospitalier général.