Original Research Article
Year: 2014 | Month: January | Volume: 4 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 149-154
Psychiatric Morbidity among Chronic Low Back Ache Pateints in Conflict Zone of Kashmir
Abdul Wahid Khan1, Hayat Ahmad Khan2*, Zaid Ahmad Wani3, Sajad Ahmad Dangroo4, Majid Shafi Shah5, Nazia Hassan6, Arshaad Iqbal7
1Head, Department of Psychiatry, SKIMS Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
2Registrar, Department of Orthopaedics, GMC, Srinagar.
3Consultant, IMHANS, Department of Psychiatry, GMC, Srinagar.
4Registrar, Department of Surgery, SKIMS, Srinagar.
5Registrar, Department of Psychiatry, GMC, Srinagar.
6Scholar, PGDMCH Dept. of PSM, GMC, Srinagar.
7CCRUM Ministry of Health, GOI.
*Corresponding Author: Hayat Ahmad Khan
ABSTRACT
One hundred twenty seven patients of chronic low back pain patients were assessed for current psychiatric syndromes using MINI Plus (Mini Neuro Psychiatric Interview) scoring .The diagnoses included a wide range of psychiatric disorder. The main psychiatric morbidity in our study was somatoform disorder in 48 (38%) patients .Depression was the second most common diagnosis in our population with about 30% (n=39) of people suffering from depressive disorder.
The third subgroup was of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) which was about 10 %( n=12) of the total number of patients. This number assumes significance in the back ground of manmade conflict. High incidences of PTSD have been found in population studies in conflict zones and this was reflected here also. Somatic pains are known to be excessive in these types of patients and may actually represent a cry for help.
The authors conclude that the results imply that screening chronic low back pain patients for psychiatric comorbidity in secondary care is important since psychopathology may have serious consequences for prognosis, outcome and health care utilization.
Key words: Chronic low back ache, Psychiatric disorders, PTSD, conflict zones