Abstract
A questionnaire was sent to all consenting doctors at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. It asked about their management of psychological problems in their clinical practice. Over 90% would welcome more time to talk to patients and agreed that psychological and social factors should be routinely assessed and recorded for patients. Most respondents would refer patients with depression or disturbed behaviours. ‘Ineffective treatment’ and ‘dislike of psychiatric referral’ were not the main reasons for non-referral. A majority of the doctors had initiated treatment for anxiety and insomnia but not for alcohol withdrawal, psychosis, acute confusional state or depression. Doctors' awareness of ‘the impact of psychological factors on the course of physical illness' was high. To sustain this high level of awareness and encourage referral, in-house psychoeducational training of hospital doctors should be intensified. In addition, an increased doctor/patient ratio, public education to reduce stigma and a well developed liaison psychiatric service are imperative.
Highlights
MethodsThe data for this study were collected as part of a larger study to determine hospital doctors’ management of mental illness and the psychological impact of their work on the doctors, in terms of their alcohol use (Issa et al, 2012)
Delivery of the new educational course was a positive experience for the volunteers but did present some challenges
Time constraint was recognised as a major impediment to the diagnosis of psychological disorders but the doctors expressed readiness for more contact with psychiatric services
Summary
The data for this study were collected as part of a larger study to determine hospital doctors’ management of mental illness and the psychological impact of their work on the doctors, in terms of their alcohol use (Issa et al, 2012). One questionnaire covered: sociodemographic information (age, gender, marital status); professional qualification; receipt of treatment for any form of emotional disturbance by the participants or their relatives; and working conditions (e.g. membership of workplace leisure or social clubs, perceived cordiality with co-workers and patients, perception of workload, and satisfaction with remuneration). They completed a questionnaire (the same used by Mayou & Killoughery) on their management of psychological problems in their clinical practice, on which this report is based.
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