Psychiatric morbidity and psychosocial background in an outpatient population of a general hospital in western Ethiopia

The psychiatric morbidity in 465 outpatients seen at a general hospital in western Ethiopia was found to be 18%. The great majority of cases had neurotic conditions often with a somatic shading, only six were psychotic. A few were themselves aware that they were suffering from mental disorders. There was no tendency for the mental disorders to be correlated to somatic disorders. The psychiatric morbidity rate seemed increased in women, in younger patients and in patients with higher educational level and income.