Treatment outcome and incidence of psychiatric disorders in dermatological out-patients

Objective. Epidemiological studies have shown that the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among dermatological patients is high. We aimed at estimating the short-term incidence of psychiatric disorders among patients with skin disease. Methods. The 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was used to identify subjects free from psychiatric morbidity at their first dermatological visit. The GHQ-12 was administered again after 1 month during a computer-assisted telephone interview. Results. A total of 277 subjects was included in the study. At the follow-up interview, 21 (7.6%) were found to have significant psychiatric morbidity. Only lack of improvement was associated with increased incidence of psychiatric morbidity (13.6%), with an odds ratio of 3.1 (95% confidence interval 1.2-7.8), after adjustment for gender, age, educational level and clinical severity. Conclusions. Physicians should devote special attention to the risk of psychiatric complications in patients who have not improved with treatment.