Haider A Naqvi, Murad M Khan.
Pathway to psychiatric care in Karachi.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak Jan ;16(6):438-9.

This research was done to study the care and referral pathway taken by patients before they present to a psychiatrist at a university teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. The key study variables were the obstacles and delays at each level of care i.e. community, primary care physician and psychiatrist. A consultant psychiatrist conducted an initial interview for diagnostic assessment. Patients` diagnosis was based on ICD-10 clinical care version. During the study period a total of 94 initial patients were seen and assessed in the psychiatry screening of Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH). Of them, there were 52 (55.3 %) males and 42 (44.0 %) females. Among the whole sample, 15% patients were in adolescent age group ( <20 years age), while 38% were in the age range of 21-to-30 years, 17 % in the age range 31-to-40 years, 15% between 41-to-50, while 6.5% were above the age of 60 years. Majority (64.5%) was single while 29 (10 females, 19 males) patients were married. Only 3% were divorced or widowed. Majority of patients were housewives (30%), followed by students (20%, 12 males, 6 females) and professionals (16%; 7 females, 8 males). Five patients were unemployed at the time of referral while 5 had retired from their respective occupation The most common diagnosis in both genders was depression (females n=26, 52%; males n=21, 37%), while schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder was diagnosed with similar frequency in both genders.

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