RESUMEN
Objective: To find out the frequency of psychiatric morbidity in patients reporting to general medical camps in the Hindu Kush and Karakoram ranges of Pakistan. Study Design: A cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Four different valleys of the region, with the Psychiatry Department, Combined Military Hospital, Gilgit as the base, from August 2015 to December 2016
Methodology: Consenting adults of either gender, reporting to medical camps for various health related issues were administered Bradford Somatic Inventory 21 [BSI 21] and Self Report Questionnaire [SRQ]. Non-parametric statistical techniques including Mann-Whitney test, Kruskall-Wallis test, and Spearman correlation, along with median and inter quartile range, were used to analyse data
Results: Out of a total of 478 [52.1% females] respondents, half [n=234 [48.9%] on BSI and n=243 [50.8%] on SRQ] reported positive psychiatric morbidity. Inter-valley differences were significant [BSI, chi 2=49.1, p<.001; SRQ, chi 2=66.5, p<.001]. Females reported higher levels of psychiatric morbidity measured by BSI [p<.001] and SRQ [p<.001], as compared to males. Participants' occupation was significantly associated [BSI; chi 2=23.1, SRQ; chi 2=35.3, p<.001] while their age was not significantly associated [BSI, r=-.06, p>.05; SRQ, r=-.09, p>.05] with their psychiatric morbidity
Conclusion: Psychiatric morbidity was prevalent in the population studied, which may go unrecognized, overlooked, or mistreated by the locally available medical resources. There is a huge need for mental health services in these areas
RESUMEN
Objective: To find out the frequency of psychiatric morbidity in patients reporting to general medical camps in the Hindu Kush and Karakoram ranges of Pakistan
Study Design: A cross-sectional study
Place and Duration of Study: Four different valleys of the region, with the Psychiatry Department, Combined Military Hospital, Gilgit as the base, from August 2015 to December 2016
Methodology: Consenting adults of either gender, reporting to medical camps for various health related issues were administered Bradford Somatic Inventory 21 [BSI 21] and Self Report Questionnaire [SRQ]. Non-parametric statistical techniques including Mann-Whitney test, Kruskall-Wallis test, and Spearman correlation, along with median and inter quartile range, were used to analyse data
Results: Out of a total of 478 [52.1% females] respondents, half [n=234 [48.9%] on BSI and n=243 [50.8%] on SRQ] reported positive psychiatric morbidity. Inter-valley differences were significant [BSI, Chi[2]=49.1, p <.001; SRQ, Chi[2]=66.5, p <.001]. Females reported higher levels of psychiatric morbidity measured by BSI [p <.001] and SRQ [p <.001], as compared to males. Participants' occupation was significantly associated [BSI; Chi[2]=23.1, SRQ; Chi[2]=35.3, p <.001] while their age was not significantly associated [BSI, r=-.06, p >.05; SRQ, r=-.09, p >.05] with their psychiatric morbidity
Conclusion: Psychiatric morbidity was prevalent in the population studied, which may go unrecognized, overlooked, or mistreated by the locally available medical resources. There is a huge need for mental health services in these areas
RESUMEN
Objective: This study was conducted to explore and compare the level of mental health in all the districts of Gilgit Baltistan [GB]
Study Design: Cross-sectional study
Place and Duration of Study: Based at CMH Gilgit, all districts of GB were visited between Mar and Dec 2016
Material and Methods: Data were collected from consenting adults in community setting by administering mental health inventory [MHI]. Data were compared with the population mean and inter-district comparisons were performed
Results: A total of 370 [186 males] participants, age ranging from 17 to 80 years [M = 28.54 +/- 11.27]. Out of these, 240 [64.8 percent] were married and their education levels ranged from 5 to 16 years of schooling. Males [t=4.5, p<0.001] and married participants [t=2-07, p<0.05] reported better mental health. Participants' living district [F=1.8, p=09], education level [F=1.1, p=0.3], and their age [r=0.04, p=3] did not influence their reported level of mental health
Conclusion: Community members in GB had good level of mental health irrespective of their living area, education, and age. However, their gender and marital status influenced their mental health
RESUMEN
Objective: To screen out psychiatric 'cases' and find the frequency of anxiety and depression symptoms in military volunteers performing duties at very high altitudes in the Karakoram ranges of Pakistan
Methods: This was a descriptive study lasting from Jan 2015 to June 2015, on volunteers serving at very high altitude, using General Health Questionnaire-12 [GHQ-12] and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS], Urdu versions. Analysis involved descriptive, inferential techniques and Bonferroni test. Demographic variables were compared to the scores
Results: A high percentage of the military volunteers screened positive for psychiatric 'caseness' and symptoms of anxiety and depression; mostly in the mild to moderate range, while very few of them reported severe symptoms. Demographic variables such as marital status, number of children, positive family psychiatric history, past medical history, duration at high altitude and educational levels were found to be significant risk factors for developing symptoms of anxiety and depression
Conclusions: Individuals performing duties at very high altitude, experience symptoms of anxiety and depression, their demographics are important in understanding their emotional problems
RESUMEN
Objective: To assess symptoms of anxiety and depression among women reporting to primary health care [PHC women] in Gilgit Baltistan [GB], Pakistan
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on PHC women belonging GB including other three provinces of Pakistan. PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were used to assess anxiety and depression. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were applied to analyze the collected data
Results: PHC women from GB reported higher level of depressive symptoms [t=7.58, p=0.00] and lower level of anxiety symptoms [t=8.3, p=0.00] when compared with cut-off score. Insignificant differences were found in depressive [t=1.5, p>0.05] and anxiety [t=1.2, p>0.05] scores between GB women and women from rest of Pakistan. However, inter-province differences in depressive [F=5.78, p= 00] and anxiety [F=4.5, p=0.00] symptoms were significant. Increasing age and lack of education were found significant risk factors for GB PHC women's depressive and anxiety symptoms
Conclusions: PHC women from GB have higher level of depressive and lower level of anxiety symptoms like women from other provinces of Pakistan. Their demographics should be considered while addressing their emotional problems