A prospective analysis of in-patient consultation-liaison psychiatry in a Nigerian teaching hospital

Objectives: To determine the pattern of psychiatric referrals over a six-month period categorise the psychiatric referrals into clinical syndromes and describe the nature of psychiatric intervention and outcome of such intervention on discharge and within the first three months after discharge. Design: A descriptive prospective study. Setting: University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Ilorin Nigeria. Subjects: Forty seven inpatients (26 females and 21 males) referred to the psychiatric department from other specialist units of the hospital between May and October 2001. Results: The mean (+/-SD) of patients was 33.9±18 years. The highest rate of referral came from the internal medicine department. The most common psychiatric disorders referred were acute organic brain syndrome (32%) and neurological disorders (15%). Psychiatric interventions included medication in about two-thirds of the patients and counselling in about a quarter. Half of the discharged patients out rightly defaulted on their first outpatient clinic department appointment. Conclusion: The study indicate the need for greater inter-departmental liaison learning and training activities, the need to emphasize training in organic psychiatry, as well as the need to establish community-based outreach services as a means of ensuring continuity of care for discharged patients. East African Medical Journal Vol.81(12) 2004: 620-62