Psychiatric Symptoms in Dermatology Patients

The 30-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) (Goldberg, 1972) was administered to 196 consecutive new dermatology out-patients and 40 consecutive admissions to dermatology beds. Thirty per cent of the outpatients and 60 per cent of the in-patients obtained high scores, while half the high scorers...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of psychiatry 1983-07, Vol.143 (1), p.51-54
Main Authors: Hughes, J. E., Barraclough, B. M., Hamblin, L. G., White, J. E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Female
Humans
Male
Mental Disorders - etiology
Middle Aged
Psychophysiologic Disorders
Skin Diseases - complications
Skin Diseases - drug therapy
Skin Diseases - psychology
Steroids - adverse effects
Stress, Psychological - etiology
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Summary:The 30-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) (Goldberg, 1972) was administered to 196 consecutive new dermatology out-patients and 40 consecutive admissions to dermatology beds. Thirty per cent of the outpatients and 60 per cent of the in-patients obtained high scores, while half the high scorers in each group scored high on the Wakefield Self-Assessment Depression Scale (Snaith et al, 1971). These findings suggest that dermatology out-patients have a higher prevalence of psychiatric disorder than the general population, and dermatology in-patients a higher prevalence than general medical in-patients. High GHQ scores were associated with (a) diagnoses of acne, eczema, psoriasis or alopecia; with (b) extensive lesions on exposed parts of the body; and with (c) the use of high potency topical steroid. We indicate other areas that might be profitably explored in a full-scale study.
ISSN:0007-1250
1472-1465
DOI:10.1192/bjp.143.1.51