Clinical profiles of patients within the Mental Health Service in Qatar

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the clinical profile of patients referred to the only dedicated Psychiatry Hospital in Qatar over a one-year period in order to understand the clinical needs of these patients. Methods: We examined, retrospectively, the records of patients who presented to the Emergency Department in Hamad General Hopsital with psychiatric problems and needed psychiatric assessment in the period between 1st of June 2015 to 31st of May 2016. We reviewed the records of 870 patients within one year from both electronic records and paper records. Results: Patients from 48 different nationalities presented to the Emergency Department with a psychiatric presentation. Patients who presented spoke 22 different languages. Clinical presentations covered a wide spectrum of stress related disorders. The most common diagnosis was bipolar affective disorder, depressive disorder and schizophrenia. Conclusion: This study gives a window into the clinical profiles of those who present with acute mental illness and highlights some risk factors to be aware of in treating such patients. The variety of cultures and languages of patients is important to recognize and emphasizes the ongoing need for adequate language translation for appropriate psychiatric evaluation of these patients.