A survey of psychiatric morbidity among bank workers in Ilorin, Nigeria

Abstract

This Study surveyed bank workers in Ilorin township with the aim of identifying possible Psychiatric disorders and the inherent associated factors in the banking sector using a 30-item general Health Questionnaire ( GHQ-30 ), a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Present State Examination ( PSE ) Schedule, and the International Classification of Diseases, the 10 th edition ( ICD-10 ). Data were analysed using Epi info version 6.0. Frequency distribution, cross tabulation, and chi square figures were obtained. The level of statistical significance was set at 5%. Four hundred and thirty out of 563 subjects responded to the questionnaires satisfactorily (76% response rate). The “GHQ-positive” respondents (i.e. score of ≥4 and classified as having psychiatric morbidity) were interviewed and assigned into clinical psychiatric syndromes. 57 (13%) of the respondents had psychiatric diagnoses comprising anxiety (19 or 4.4%), depression (16 or 3.7%), neurasthenia (16 or 3.7%), insomnia (5 or 1.2%), and mixed anxiety and depression (1 or 0.2%). There was significant association between psychiatric syndromes and number of children, social club, Bank ownership, work experience, extra hours, and clinical syndrome of anxiety disorder was most significantly diagnosed. These presuppose the needs for introduction of preventive measures, and identification and management of occupationally-related mental ill-health in service organization like the banking sector. Keywords : psychiatric morbidity, survey, workplace The Tropical Journal of Health Sciences Vol. 12(1) 2005: 19-25