Original scientific paper
Evaluation of the Development of Psychosomatic Medicine in a Large University Hospital in Turkey
Mine Özkan
Sedat Özkan
Nazmiye Kocaman
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the development of psychosomatic medicine at our university hospital in Istanbul,
which has an inpatient capacity of 3.000. Changing patterns of utilization of psychiatric service were analyzed in
two 1-year surveys five-year intervals (1998, n=888) – (2003, n=1609). Psychiatric referrals were analyzed with regard
to rate of consultation, demographic characteristics, departments making referrals, reasons for referral, psychiatric diagnoses
and patterns of psychiatric intervention. Psychiatric consultation request, consultation reply and medical psychiatric
examination forms were used. In evaluating the data, consultation rate was seen to have doubled over the five intervening
years. Significant changes were also noted in the demographic characteristics of patients (e.g., more men, older
mean age). The most prevalent disorders in both groups were depressive disorder and adjustment disorders. Alcohol and
substance abuse remained as a small group. The gradual increase in the utilization of psychiatric services can be attributed
to service and education-related variables.
Keywords
psychosomatic medicine; consultation liaison psychiatry; psychiatric diagnosis; general hospital; consultation rate; Turkey
Hrčak ID:
27678
URI
Publication date:
13.12.2006.
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