Psychiatry Research EG

Two hundred and fifty patients presenting to the emergency room in Ismailia General Hospital ,were screened in a two-step procedure for the presence of psychiatric symptoms. In the first step, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ, 30) was used and in the second step, the Psychiatric Assessment Schedule (PAS) was used in a semistructured interview. Diagnoses were assigned according to DSM-III-R criteria.
Results showed that 35.2% of the sample were positive on the GHQ and that all of them exhibited psychiatric symptoms and disorders. The most common major complaints were headaches 27.3%, breathlessness 21.6%, inability to walk 15.9%, chest pain 14.8%, sleep problems 9.1%, palpitation 7.9%, fatigability 7.9%. The most common psychiatric diagnoses were mood disorders 33%, somatoform disorders 30.7%, adjustment disorders 29.5%, anxiety disorders 3.4%, organic mental disorders 2.3%, and factitious disorders 1.1%. It is suggested that the use of a simple psychiatric rating scale in emergency room could be of help to general practitioners and that educational curriculum for non psychiatrists should emphasize acute psychiatric conditions. It is also advisable to implement a consultation liaison subspeciality in general hospitals.