[Hysterical syndromes in a population of ambulatory neuropsychiatric patients in northwest Ethiopia. Phenomenology, psychosocial and sociocultural background]. / Hysterische Syndrome in einer Population ambulanter neuropsychiatrischer Patienten in Nordwest-Athiopien. Phänomenologie, psychosozialer und soziokultureller Hintergrund.

Among 1240 first-time patients in the out-patient department of Gondar College of Medicas Sciences during the period September 1985-Juli 1986, there was, be European standards, an astonishingly high percentage of hysterical symptoms: 12.5% of all cases, 33.5% of all neurotic cases, with markedly "classic" symptomatology. These hysterical behavior patterns were interpreted as being, in the main, special problem solution mechanisms with secondary acquisition of illness under rapidly changing social conditions.

[Neuropsychiatric syndromes in childhood and adolescence among patients at neuropsychiatric ambulatory care and pediatric units of a teaching hospital in Ethiopia]. / Neuropsychiatrische Syndrome im Kindes- und Jugendalter unter den Patienten einer neuropsychiatrischen Ambulanz und pädiatrischer Stationen in einem Ausbildungskrankenhaus in Athiopien.

Among 1240 patients of the neuropsychiatric outpatient department of Gondar College of Medical Sciences, Northwest-Ethiopia, seen for the first time in 1985/86 190 (15.3%) were under 18 years of age. Among 1078 patients treated on pediatric wards during the same period at least 73 children (6.8%) suffered from neuropsychiatric diseases. The morbidity profile of this population is analysed and epidemiological and clinical aspects are discussed.

[The status of epileptic patients in a developing African country: northwest Ethiopia]. / Zur Situation epileptischer Patienten in einem afrikanischen Entwicklungsland: Nordwest-Athiopien.

Of 1240 first-time consultations in the neuropsychiatric clinic of the Gondar College of Medical Sciences in an eleven-month period during 1985 and 1986, 152 patients came seeking relief from seizures. This paper deals with the origins and background of diagnostic, differential diagnostic, and therapeutic problems, and with problems of social rehabilitation. While in such a tradition-bound society certain hypotheses continue to have an unfavorable effect, there are unmistakable signs of positive change against a background of rapid social change. Conclusions are drawn for the better management of epileptic patients in developing countries.

[Description of an ambulatory neuropsychiatric patient population in the Gondar region, Northwest Ethiopia: epidemiologic and clinical aspects]. / Beschreibung einer ambulanten neuropsychiatrischen Patienten-population in der Region Gondar, Nordwest-Athiopien: Epidemiologische und klinische Aspekte.

The paper deals with the morbidity profile of 1240 patients in the neuropsychiatric outpatient department of the Gondar College of Medical Sciences in the course of eleven months in the years 1985-1986, and proceeds to compare in with a previous analysis, that of Bach and Bachmann (1987). Although the morbidity profile tallies remarkably well with that in Central Europe, the extensive practice of consulting traditional healers disguises the exact situation. Constantly shifting regional peculiarities has a great influence on the morbidity of individual clinical pictures. Epidemiological and clinical aspects are discussed in the context of the relevant African literature.