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Psychiatric Symptoms in Dermatology Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

J. E. Hughes ,
B. M. Barraclough ,
L. G. Hamblin  and
J. E. White
J. E. Hughes
Affiliation:
University of Southampton
B. M. Barraclough
Affiliation:
University of Southampton
L. G. Hamblin
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, (now House Surgeon, St. Mary's Hospital, Portsmouth)
J. E. White
Affiliation:
Royal South Hants Hospital, Graham Road, Southampton SO9 4PE
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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.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 143 , Issue 1 , July 1983 , pp. 51 - 54
Copyright
Copyright © 1983 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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