Abstract

WHO data on global burden of diseases says that mental illnesses accounts for over 15 percent of the total burden of disease. This study was planned to describe the common psychiatric disorders and various sociodemographic variables associated among patients attending psychiatry Out Patient Department (OPD) at a tertiary care psychiatric hospital of a northern state of India. This was a cross sectional record-based study. Psychiatric diagnosis was made according to International Classification of Diseases classification -10. In our study we analysed data of 153 patients who were first time registered in OPD of HHMH&R Shimla in last one year. We found that most of patients were in age group of 18-40 years of age (51.0%) and 73.2% patients were males. In our study we observed that 55.6% patients were married, 32.0% were single and 12.4% were separated. In our findings most of patients (39.2%)  had no history of co-morbid substance abuse however most common co-morbid substance abuse was both cannabis and tobacco. Schizophrenia was the most common psychiatric illness found in our study. Mental health disorders were found majorly in younger, unemployed males. While forming mental health policies Government should take these findings in consideration.

Keywords: Mental health disorders, morbidity pattern, cross-sectional study, ICD 10, scizophrenia.