International Journal of Social Psychiatry

 

Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Pothen, M.
Right arrow Articles by Jacob, K. S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Pothen, M.
Right arrow Articles by Jacob, K. S.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
International Journal of Social Psychiatry, Vol. 49, No. 2, 119-125 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/0020764003049002005

Common Mental Disorders Among Primary Care Attenders in Vellore, South India: Nature, Prevalence and Risk Factors

M. Pothen, DPM

Department of Psychiatry, Christian Medical College, India

A. Kuruvilla, MD

Department of Psychiatry, Christian Medical College

K. Philip, FRACGP

Department of Community Health, Christian Medical College

A. Joseph, MD, MS (Epid)

Department of Community Health, Christian Medical College

K. S. Jacob, MD, PhD

Department of Psychiatry, Christian Medical College, Vellore 632002, India

Objective: The study examined the nature and prevalence of and the factors associated with common mental disorders in primary care in Vellore, South India.

Method: Consecutive attenders (N = 327) to a primary health care facility were recruited.

Results: One hundred and eleven (33.9%) subjects satisfied criteria for common mental disorders. Depression was the common presentation (83.8%). Indicators of low socio-economic status (being in debt, inability to buy food, having less than three square meals per day) and illiteracy were significantly associated with caseness.

Conclusions: Subjects with common mental disorders are commonly seen in primary health care settings. Illiteracy and poverty are associated with caseness. Primary health care research and policy needs to focus on common mental disorders.

Key Words: common mental disorders • depression • primary care • prevalence • risk factors


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 International Journal of Social PsychiatryHome page
B. R. Shankar, B. Saravanan, and K. S. Jacob
Explanatory models of common mental disorders among traditional healers and their patients in rural south India.
International Journal of Social Psychiatry, May 1, 2006; 52(3): 221 - 233.
[Abstract] [PDF]