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PSYCHIATRIC MORBIDITY IN AN OUT–OF–HOURS DEPUTIZING SERVICE
Author(s) -
Parker Gordon
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1972.tb108042.x
Subject(s) - psychiatry , incidence (geometry) , medicine , psychiatric diagnosis , psychosis , population , psychology , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , physics , environmental health , optics
A survey undertaken on a consecutive series of 500 patients, visited by a doctor who was employed by a deputizing service providing out‐of‐hours medical attention, revealed a psychiatric morbidity of 8%. The distinction between the total psychiatric morbidity and the conspicuous psychiatric morbidity of a population is discussed, and reasons are suggested why the determined conspicuous psychiatric morbidity of 8% is low. The psychiatric conditions encountered in such a practice are described. The incidence of psychosis and of psychiatric problems in children was low. Alcoholic disorders were common and diverse in their clinical manifestations, and presented difficulties in diagnosis. Case studies of the alcoholic patients are included to illustrate these findings. Problems presented by drug‐dependent patients are described. A descriptive impression is given of the type of patients with a psychiatric problem who seek the attention of a deputizing service.