Evaluation of psychiatric consultations of medical inpatients in a research and training hospital

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate patterns of psychiatric consultations and psychiatric morbidity among medical inpatients.

Methods: Evaluations of medical inpatients who were referred for psychiatric examination to Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Research and Training Hospital between 09/01/2014 and 11/30/2014 were recorded on a structured form and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) was performed. Diagnostic evaluations were made by using SCID-I.

Results: Among 105 patients included in the study, there were 54 (51.4%) males and 51 (48.6%) females. The referrals were from internal medicine clinics (68.6%) and surgery clinics (31.4%). The patients were most frequently diagnosed with adjustment disorder (46.7%). The other diagnoses were, respectively, depression (25.7%), anxiety disorder (9.5%), alcohol/substance use disorders (6.7%), bipolar disorder (3.8%), and psychotic disorder not otherwise specified (3.8%). Depression, bipolar disorder, alcohol/substance use disorders and psychotic disorder not otherwise specified were more frequent in patients staying in internal medicine clinics whereas anxiety disorder was more frequent in patients staying in surgery clinics. The average HAD-D and HAD-A scores of the patients staying in internal medicine clinics were, respectively, 11.72±5.12 and 8.73±5.11. The average HAD-D and HAD-A scores of the patients staying in surgery clinics were, respectively, 13.70±5.71 and 10.88±6.12. Statistically no significant difference was found between HAD scores of patients staying in internal medicine and surgery clinics.

Conclusion: According to our findings, psychiatric morbidity is significantly high in medical inpatients. Therefore, harmonious interaction between psychiatry and other medical clinics is of importance for the mental wellbeing of the medically ill.