The nature and type of mental disorders presenting at Dr George Mukhari hospital ,Psychatry out-patient department, in a twelve month period, January 2006 to December 2006

Abstract

Profiling of mental disorders in tertiary institutions is relatively an understudied subject .The aim of the study was to delineate the types, age and gender distribution of psychiatric disorders in Dr. George Mukhari hospital .This is a tertiary psychiatric unit which caters for mental health care users in Garankuwa , Soshanguve , Mabopane region. The study is retrospective and caters for a period January 2006 to December 2006.

Dr George Mukhari being a tertiary institution ,the types of mental disorders seen are the emergency ones i.e. aggressive ,life threatening or complex in nature . Schizophrenia was the most common disorder , affecting more males than females in adults , whereas mental retardation was more common in children affecting more males than females. . This underlay the devastating nature of neuoro-developmental problems in psychiatry.

Most of the mental health care users seen were single and un-employed(most on disability grants)