A review of 5153 treated psychiatric patients--a five year retrospective study.

From the present study several important observations may be made. It has been observed that illiterate and poor people with agricultural background are increasingly becoming more aware of the availability of psychiatric treatment facilities. Acceptance of treatment offered by mental hospital is greater in spite of prejudice and stigma against mental diseases. Chances of availing treatment facilities for mental diseases were better in cases of educated, economically independent and non-agricultural workers than the illiterate, economically dependant and agricultural workers. Women are not having equal opportunity for treatment facilities though they suffer from psychotic disorders equally as men; this reflects the present socio-cultural attitudes. Age pattern of patients suffering from mental diseases in this country was different from western countries. Duration of stay in the hospital and rate of improvement were comparable to other centres.