Mental health of doctors in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria

Introduction: doctors are vulnerable to psychiatric morbidity as a result of their busy schedules and multiple role obligations. Yet, they often don't admit they have mental health problems nor are they readily subjected to mental health evaluation by their colleagues due to fear of labeling and general stigma.Methods: a cross-sectional survey of doctors in the service of University of Ilorin Teaching  Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria was done using a socio-demographic questionnaire and the twelve items General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) using a cut-off point of 3 to indicate possibility of psychiatric disorder (GHQ-12 positive). Non-parametric analysis and regression test of factors associated with psychiatric  morbidity was done using SPSS. Level of significance was set at 0.05 p-value. Results: two hundred and forty one doctors representing 68.9% of the doctors participated in the survey. The point prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among the doctors using the GHQ-12 was 14.9%. Being married, non-participation in social activities and perception of work load as being "heavy" were significantly associated with  psychiatric morbidity (p-value < 0.05). Conclusion: the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among doctors at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital was higher than the general population prevalence. Measures to lessen the negative effect of marriage and the perceived heavy work load on mental health of doctors, such as provision of recreational facilities within the hospital and encouragement of doctors' participation in social activities are advanced.Key words: Doctors, psychiatric morbidity, tertiary hospital, Nigeri

Mental health of doctors in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria

Abstract Introduction: doctors are vulnerable to psychiatric morbidity as a result of their busy schedules and multiple role obligations. Yet, they ofte

Dearth of psychiatrists in Nigeria

No Abstract. Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol. 47(6) 2005: 127-12

Strong family history and early onset of schizophrenia: about 2 families in Northern Nigeria

Schizophrenia is a highly heritable psychotic disorder and high genetic loading is associated with early onset of the disease. The outcome of schizophrenia has also been linked with the age of onset as well as the presence of family history of the disease. Therefore families with patients with early onset Schizophrenia are subpopulations for genetic studies. We present 2 families with heavy genetic loading who have adolescents with schizophrenia.The Pan African Medical Journal 2016;2