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Physical Illness in Chronic Psychiatric Patients from a Community Psychiatric Unit Revisited

A Three-Year Follow-up Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

A. Honig ,
P. Pop ,
E. De Kemp ,
H. Philipsen  and
M. A. J. Romme
A. Honig*
Affiliation:
Department of Social Psychiatry, University of Limburg, and Community Psychiatric Service RIAGG Maastricht, the Netherlands
P. Pop
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Maastricht, the Netherlands
E. De Kemp
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health Sciences, University of Limburg, the Netherlands
H. Philipsen
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Sociology, University of Limburg, the Netherlands
M. A. J. Romme
Affiliation:
Department of Social Psychiatry, University of Limburg, and Community Psychiatric Service RIAGG, Maastricht, the Netherlands
*
∗RIAGG Maastricht, Parallelweg 45–47, 6221 BD Maastricht, the Netherlands
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Abstract

A group of 156 psychiatric patients from an urban community psychiatric unit for chronic psychiatric patients was routinely medically screened and reported on. Re-evaluation of the medical diseases found in those patients was carried out three years later. Those who were still being treated – 73 patients (47%) – were interviewed, as were their psychiatrist and, where necessary, their general practitioner (GP). The implementation of medical recommendations given following the physical screening by the specialist in internal medicine was also assessed. Re-evaluation of the diagnoses confirmed that 36% of this population had one or more physical diseases, rather than the 53% found earlier. The results show that the majority of physical complaints and diseases as well as functional illnesses were as persistent as the psychiatric diagnoses in this patient group. The patients' GP seems to be the person best suited as the primary physician responsible for the patient's physical health.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 161 , Issue 1 , July 1992 , pp. 80 - 83
Copyright
Copyright © 1992 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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