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Comorbidity (Psycho) Analysed

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 August 2018

H. M. Van Praag
H. M. Van Praag*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, State University of Limburg, P. Debyelaan 25, Postbus 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, Netherlands
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Abstract

Many psychiatric patients seem to suffer from a multitude of psychiatric disorders. The term comorbidity' was introduced to characterise that situation. This term, however, is multi-interpretable and thus conceals more than it clarifies. Five interpretations of the concept of comorbidity are discussed, in conjunction with the consequences their validity would have for psychiatric research, in particular for the biological branch. If the term comorbidity continues to be used without further qualification, it will slow down the process of conceptualisation of novel research strategies in experimental psychiatry, which is so urgently needed.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 168 , Issue S30: Comorbidity of Mood Disorders , June 1996 , pp. 129 - 134
Copyright
Copyright © 1996 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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