Psychiatric Aspects of Clinical Practice among Non-Psychiatric Physicians in Tertiary Teaching Hospital

Objective: This study was carried out to know the awareness of non-psychiatric clinicians working in teaching tertiary hospital regarding psychiatric problems in their practice and their reference to psychiatric consulting doctors. Methods: The study population consists of clinicians available in the tertiary hospital. A structured questionnaire was designed for the study consisting of 9 questions .The clinicians were contacted to answer the questions. Results: A total 48 non-psychiatric clinicians participated in the study ,50% of the clinicians felt that their patients have 10-20% have psychiatric disorder .Nearly 75% of the clinicians refer all the patients with psychiatric problems to a psychiatric consultant .75% of the clinicians are of the opinion that psychological factors were the main cause for the psychiatric morbidity. Majority of the clinicians find psychotropic drugs were useful. Conclusion: Majority of the clinicians underestimated the psychiatric problems and few clinicians figured biochemical changes as the important factor associated with psychiatric morbidity. Most of the clinicianswere of the opinion that there is scope for improvement in undergraduate medical curriculum for Psychiatry in India.