Detecting mental, behavioural disorders

DIAGNOSING mental and behavioural disorders is similar to the diagnosis of physical disorders.
Professional care and detailed collections of historical information on the individuals and others (including the family) is done on a systematic clinical examination for his/her mental status which includes specialised tests and investigations. e.g. International classification of diseases ICD-10 and different schedules are available to diagnose mental disorders. Knowledge and skills are needed to provide appropriate mental health care.
Prevalence of Disorders
Mental disorders are universal. Mental and behavioural disorders are found in people of all regions, all countries and all societies.
There are present in women and men at all stages of life. They are present among the rich and poor, among people living in urban and rural areas. It is estimated to be suffering from neuro psychiatric conditions. These conditions included unipolar depressive disorders, bipolar affective disorders, schizophrenia, epilepsy, alcohol and selected drug use disorders, alzheimer’s and dementias, post-traumatic stress disorders, obsessive- compulsive disorders, panic disorders and primary insomnia.
In Papua New Guinea despite there being no formal epidemiological studies, it is inevitable that the above neuropsychiatric conditions are here to stay.
A review of the Report of Social Change and Mental Health in PNG (Ambihaipahar, 2004) indicates that only 15 per cent of the population live in urban; 45 per cent of population are literate; and there are approximately 850 spoken native languages.
The report does emphasis that public health care system, private health care systems and traditional health care systems need to address this wider cultural background and the fascinating transcultural psychiatry that exists therein.
The common psychiatric diagnosis in PNG are schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, organic psychosis, substance and alcohol abuse-related issues, anxiety, depression, stress related disorder, child and adolescent mental health issues and disorders sexual abuse, physical abuse, violence related to mental health problems, attempted suicide and the list goes on.

NEXT WEEK’s edition:
Prevalence of Disorders
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