CONSULTATION-LIASON PSYCHIATRY PRACTICE IN A NIGERIAN TEACHING HOSPITAL

Background Much psychiatric co-morbidity still go un-noticed or unrecognized by the attending physician and referral seemed to be related to the severity of illness or previous history of psychiatric illness. Objective This study therefore attempts to examine various issues of consultation- liaison psychiatry in a Nigerian Teaching Materials and Methods A proforma was used to record issues such as referral pattern, communication process and intervention by the referring team and final disposal. Subjects were all inpatients in non-psychiatric wards of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria for which consultation was sought over a 6-month period. A detailed psychiatry interview was done by using the structured clinical interview according to DSM IV to generate AXIS I diagnosis. Results A total of seventeen patients were referred over the 6 months study period. This gives a referral rate of 1.8%. The mean age was 39.5+19.3yrs and more females 10 (58.8) were seen during the study period than males 7 (41.2%). The commonest diagnosis made was organic brain syndrome in 11 (64.7%). Most of the patients, 11 (64.7%), were seen within 24 hours. Three (17.3%) were actually transferred to the psychiatry ward, 4(23.5%) died on admission while final disposal of other patients were not known. Conclusion There is need for earlier detection of psychiatric morbidity associated with physical illness so that referral in the early stage can be undertaken.