The Prevalence, Size and Burden of Psychiatric Disorders at the Primary Health Care Visits: Too Little Time?

Abstract

Aim

The aim ofthis study was to assess the prevalence, size and burden of commonestpsychiatric disorders at Primary Health Care (PHC) Centres using the WHO Composite International DiagnosticInterview (WHO-CIDI) and co-morbidity.

Methods

A total of2,000 Qatari subjects aged 18 to 65 years were approached at PHC and 1,475 (73.3%) gaveconsent. Prevalence and severityof ICD-10 disorders were assessed with the WHO Composite InternationalDiagnostic Interview (CIDI, Version 3.0).

Results

The three most common disorders weremajor depression disorders (18.31%), any anxiety disorders (17.29%), any mooddisorders (16.95%), followed by separation anxiety disorders (15.25%),personality disorder (14.1%). Most of the respondentswere in the age group 35-49 years (37.8%), followed by 18-34 years (34%), then50-64 years (19.6%) and above aged 65 years old (8.5%). In the present study, prevalence in women was significantly higher thanmen for the most common psychiatric disorders, specifically generalised anxietydisorder, panic disorder, social phobia, specific phobias, obsessive compulsivedisorders, post traumatic disorder, somatisation, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, dysthymia, and oppositional defiant disorder. Of the total 20% had only one psychiatric diagnosisand 12% had two disorders, 9.7% respondents with three diagnoses, and finally4.3% of respondents had four or more diagnoses.

Conclusion

One-fifth of all adults who attended the PHC Centre 20% had at least one psychiatric diagnosis. The prevalence of thegeneralized anxiety disorders; socialphobia, specific phobia, major depression, and personality disorders werethe significantly higher in women than inmen.