title: Attitude towards psychiatric treatment and referral pattern in the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital - a preliminary report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is a paucity of literature on consultation-liaison psychiatry, in northern Nigeria. This study aimed to determine both the pattern of psychiatric referrals, and the attitudes of doctors toward the treatment of mental disorders in a teaching hospital, in northeast Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional survey, we used a modified version of the self-rated Kumar 12-item questionnaire and a basic socio-demographic questionnaire to assess a non-random convenient sample of 100 postgraduate resident doctors (with a response rate of 70%) from the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH). We subjected the data obtained to descriptive statistical analysis, using EPI info (2003), to report averages.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A relatively low percentage (57.1%) of doctors acknowledged treating patients with mental disorders in their practice, with a higher proportion acknowledging referral (75%). Nearly one in five (17.6%) of the respondents were unaware that patients with functional illness could have psychological disorders. We found more awareness for psychotherapy (44.1%) than other non-pharmacological treatment interventions, while 10.3% were ignorant of non-pharmacological forms of treatment for psychological problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although this is a preliminary report, the research reported here demonstrated that doctors in the teaching hospital concerned recognized the need for psychiatric consultation and referral. It is difficult to draw further conclusions because of the limitations of this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. bawaki@yahoo.com
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wakil
authors.forename: I W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Abdul
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Jidda
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Beida
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahidjo
authors.forename: F K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Salawu
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Abdulmalik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D009549:Nigeria; D011613:Psychotherapy; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012737:Sex Factors; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs