Mental illness in immigrants in eastern Saudi Arabia: psychiatric diagnoses

This is a controlled study of mental illness among immigrants in Saudi Arabia. A total of 70 migrant patients were compared with an equal number of Saudi patients in psychiatric diagnoses [frequency, content and prognosis]. The majority of immigrant patients were Asian [53%] and Arabs [43%] significant differences between the two groups were noticed in the frequency and the content of psychiatric diagnoses. Schizophrenia was significantly more among Saudi patients than immigrants. The acute paranoid reaction was almost exclusively among Asians, clinical presentation was unique, in addition to the short duration of the illness, favourable prognosis and the presence of a stress in almost all the cases. It seemed to be culture-related

Psychiatric morbidity among attendants of internal medicine out-patient clinic in Ismalia general hospital

Cross sectional survey was done to identify the extent to psychiatric disorders among the attendants of Internal Medicine Clinic. A total of 252 patients were taken by systemic random sample. Two stages screening design was adapted in this study. In the first stage, the total sample was screened for the presence or absence of psychological disorders by the General Health Questionnaire [GHQ]. In the second stage, the GHQ positive [+ ve] [probable cases] were interviewed using a Psychiatric Assessment Schedule [PAS]. One hundred and four patients had scored above the cute-off point [41.27%] and they were statistically significant in females, adult period, married persons. Mood disorders were the commonest disorders [35.57%] followed by anxiety disorders [28.84%] and adjustment disorders were 15.38%. The most common physical symptoms associated with psychiatric disorders were abdominal pain, headache, dyspnea, drowsiness, chest pain, backache and palpitations. The importance of secondary prevention was discussed

Psychiatric morbidity in an intensive care unit in Saudi Arabia

The reported prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in an intensive Care Unit in Saudi Arabia was found to be 18%. The commonest reactions were anxiety, somatoform and depressive disorders. Demographic characteristics, history of medical and psychiatric disorders were evaluated as predictors of psychological hazards. Data revealed that patients with psychiatric symptoms stayed for a significantly longer time in the ICU. They were exposed to more frequent procedures, they obtained higher scores in neuroticism, depressive traits and they expressed higher intensity of manifest anxiety and depression than did the controls. The results of the study suggest that the patient's vulnerability, personality traits and psychological makeup are important determinants of psychiatric morbidity than the ICU environment perse