Psychiatric morbidity in a Nigerian Neurology Clinic
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Date
2012
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East African Medical Association
Abstract
Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and nature of
psychiatric morbidity among patients attending a neurology outpatient clinic.
Design: A two-stage screening procedure with General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-
12) and Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) was used to
assess psychological disorders over a one year period. Psychiatric diagnosis was based
on ICD-10 criteria.
Setting: University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Ilorin- Nigeria
Subjects: Two hundred and thirty-five (235) patients aged 18 years and above attending
the neurology outpatient clinic.
Results: Overall prevalence of psychiatric morbidity was 26.0% (61/235). The most
frequent diagnoses were depression (14.9%), generalised anxiety disorder (5.5%),
dementia (2.6%) and substance use disorder (1.3%). Significantly more patients with
stroke had psychiatric morbidity.
Conclusion: The study supports previous reports that psychiatric disorders are quite
common among patients with neurological disorders. Efforts should, therefore, be
directed at identifying and treating neurological patients with psychiatric morbidity
since this will ensure improved outcome. In this regard, mental health professionals
would need to provide liaison services for the neurologists and train them in the use
of simple screening instruments for detecting associated psychiatric disorders with
appropriate referral where necessary.
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Citation
Ajiboye P. O., Abiodun O. A., Tunde-Ayinmode M. F., Sanya E. O., Wahab K. W., Buhari O.I.N, Ayanda K. A., Jimba M. K., Agbabiaka T. (2012). Psychiatric morbidity in a Nigerian Neurology Clinic. East African Medical Journal, 89(2): 64-70