A comparison of psychiatric consultation liaison services between hospitals in the United States and Japan.
The authors investigated psychiatric consultation in two hospitals, one in the United States, the other in Japan. They examined similarities and differences, and drew inferences on possible cross-cultural values and/or temporary cultural conditions. As compared with the Japanese consultation patients, the Americans had more mood disorders, including anxiety and chemical-dependency problems, in respective diagnostic classifications. Patients in the United States also showed more acute as well as more serious chronic conditions. These differences may relate to disorder base-rates in the respective countries. In general, psychosocial problems emerged as ascendant in Japan, as compared with chemical-dependency difficulties among American patients. The results are discussed in terms of current conditions in Japan that affect the mental health professions, together with attempts by Japanese clinicians to protect collective mores by ascribing causation for disorders to the individual, rather than the societal conditions often invoked in the United States.
Kishi
Yasuhiro
Y
Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, MN, USA.
Meller
William H
WH
Kato
Masashi
M
Thurber
Steven
S
Swigart
Susan E
SE
Okuyama
Toru
T
Mikami
Katsunaka
K
Kathol
Roger G
RG
Hosaka
Takashi
T
Aoki
Takayuki
T
D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D016304:Hospitals, Private / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012924:Social Conditions; D012945:Social Values / Q000208:ethnology; D013240:Stereotyping; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology