Culture and symptomatology in depression

ABSTRACT

One hundred depressed patients were evaluated and their socio-psychiatric profile documented, the symptoms were rated on Hamilton Rating Scale [HRS]. Presentation of depression was closer to African and Indian than European profile. Depression, somatic symptoms and retardation are more frequent among Afro-Asians. Less incidence of guilt among depressive from East has been confirmed. On HRS, the scores do not reach the level required for the diagnosis of mild depression, This could be due to more frequent somatic symptoms in our series whereas high scores are assigned to psychological symtoms in HRS