Sociodemographic features, affective symptoms and family functioning in hospitalized patients with dissociative disorder (convulsion type).
OBJECTIVE
To study the sociodemographic features, co-morbid anxiety and depression and family functioning in patients admitted with dissociative disorder to a tertiary care hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan.


METHODS
Patients admitted between April 2004 to September 2004 in Psychiatry Unit, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar and diagnosed as dissociative disorder (convulsion type) based on ICD-10 diagnostic criteria for mental disorders were included in the study. The sample size was 100. The demographic information was recorded, Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale and Family APGAR scale were administered.


RESULTS
Majority of patients were female (88%), uneducated (71%) and residing in rural areas (70%). Scores on anxiety scale showed no significant relation with demographic variables except area of residence (p = 0.002). Scores on depression subscale of HADS also showed a significant relation only with area of residence p = 0.05. Clinical anxiety was present in 43% of patients while 73% had clinical depression. The relation between family functioning and dissociative disorder was not significant in our sample.


CONCLUSIONS
Dissociative disorder, convulsive type, occurs mostly in females who are uneducated and residents of rural areas. Association of depression with dissociative disorder was significant, however our study did not show any significant relation between this disorder and family functioning.
Tabassum
Khattak
K
Psychiatry Unit, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar.
Farooq
Saeed
S
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012640:Seizures / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D012737:Sex Factors; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors