Prevalence of depressive symptoms among patients attending a general outpatient clinic. 1986

U H Ihezue, and N Kumaraswamy

Using both the English version and an Igbo translation of Zung's Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), 132 first-time attenders to a hospital-based general outpatient clinic were screened for presence of depressive symptoms. The mean SDS index obtained for the whole sample fell within the normal range. However, a prevalence rate of 25% for depressive symptoms was obtained. 14% scored within the range for "mild depression", while 11% obtained scores within the range for "moderate depression". Only three patients were referred to the psychiatric outpatient clinic of the same hospital. The need for general physicians to be able to recognise the presence and significance of psychological symptoms in their patients is emphasized.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009549 Nigeria A republic in western Africa, south of NIGER between BENIN and CAMEROON. Its capital is Abuja. Federal Republic of Nigeria
D010044 Outpatient Clinics, Hospital Organized services in a hospital which provide medical care on an outpatient basis. Ambulatory Care Facilities, Hospital,Hospital Outpatient Clinics,Clinic, Hospital Outpatient,Clinics, Hospital Outpatient,Hospital Outpatient Clinic,Outpatient Clinic, Hospital
D010045 Outpatients Persons who receive ambulatory care at an outpatient department or clinic without room and board being provided. Out-patients,Out patients,Out-patient,Outpatient
D010555 Personality Inventory Check list, usually to be filled out by a person about himself, consisting of many statements about personal characteristics which the subject checks. Edwards Personal Preference Schedule,Myers-Briggs Type Indicator,Indicator, Myers-Briggs Type,Inventories, Personality,Inventory, Personality,Myers Briggs Type Indicator,Personality Inventories
D003863 Depression Depressive states usually of moderate intensity in contrast with MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER present in neurotic and psychotic disorders. Depressive Symptoms,Emotional Depression,Depression, Emotional,Depressive Symptom,Symptom, Depressive
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths

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