Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry 2007;78:414-416
SHORT REPORT
Psychiatric disorders in inpatients on a neurology ward: estimate of prevalence and usefulness of screening questionnaires
1 Farnham Road Hospital, Guildford, Surrey, UK
2 Shaftsbury Clinic, Springfield University Hospital, London, UK
3 Department of Neuropsychiatry, Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
4 Neuropsychiatry Service, Clare House, St George’s Hospital, London, UK
Correspondence to:
Dr K Jefferies
Farnham Road Hospital, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7LX, UK; katejefferies{at}tiscali.co.uk
Background: Patients on neurology wards have been shown to have high rates of psychiatric illness. Prevalence figures of 39–64% have been reported previously. However a low rate of recognition of psychiatric illness is also observed in this population.
Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of psychiatric illness in neurology inpatients in a regional neuroscience centre and to assess the sensitivity and specificity of a batch of screening questionnaires.
Method: Patients were assessed using the following screening questionnaires: Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders, Mini Mental State Examination, Frontal Assessment Battery, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and a neurologist-rating scale of organicity. All patients also had a full psychiatric assessment using the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV). The screening questionnaires were then compared with our "gold standard", the psychiatric assessment.
Results: The prevalence of psychiatric illness (as determined by the psychiatric interview) in neurology inpatients in a tertiary referral centre was found to be 51.3% (95% confidence interval 44 to 58%). The sensitivity of this batch of screening questionnaires is 81.2% and the specificity is 77.1%.
Conclusion: A high prevalence of psychiatric disorder was observed in inpatients on a dedicated neurology ward. The screening questionnaires used had a high sensitivity and specificity and could therefore be used as a simple way of identifying those with psychiatric illness.
Abbreviations: DSM-IV, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition
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J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 2007 78: 331.
This article has been cited by other articles:
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Agrawal, N., Fleminger, S., Ring, H., Deb, S.
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[Full Text] -
Moriarty, J.
(2007). Psychiatric disorders in neurology patients. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry
78: 331-331
[Full Text]
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