Profile of psychiatric patients attending outpatient clinic of a tertiary care hospital, Karachi

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study is to determine the frequency of psychiatric illnesses among patients attending psychiatric outpatient department of tertiary care hospital Karachi. Cross sectional study. This study was conducted in Psychiatric Out - patient Department of a Tertiary Care Public Sector Hospital of Karachi from July 2014 to December 2014. About 560 psychiatric patients profile was determined during July -2014 toDecember 2014. The patients were diagnosed and classified on the basis of DSM -IV criteria by a consultant psychiatrist. The patient complete profile was obtained from the Hospital record. The Data obtained was entered and analyzed by using SPSS version 21. Among the total five hundred and sixty psychiatric patients, 51.5 % were males and 48.5% were females. Fifty percent of the patients had Depression, 30.9% patients had anxiety, 29% had psychosis and 24% patients had Schizophrenia. More than half of the patients belong to young age group 20 - 40 years. About ninety four percent patients were not referred and reached to the hospital in advance stages of diseases. This study concluded that the proportion of Psychiatric illnesses are high and majority of patients had depression, major victims of the psychiatric disorders are from most productive age group of our society which is an alarming situation and majority not referred by any physician seeking consultation on self- help basis