Psychiatric morbidity in leprosy and psoriasis--a comparative study
Bharath, S.; Shamasundar, C.; Raghuram, R.; Subbakrishna, D.K.
Indian Journal of Leprosy 69(4): 341-346
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0254-9395 PMID: 9474509 Document Number: 477214
The psychiatric morbidity of 30 leprosy patients was compared with that of psoriasis in a clinic set-up. The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity was significantly less among leprosy patients (122/1000) than among those with psoriasis (476/1000); but the severity of the problem, as measured by General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), was significantly greater among leprosy patients (p < 0.05). There was no difference in the pattern of psychopathology diagnosis between the two groups. Depressive neurosis was the most common diagnosis in both the groups. The relevance of these findings in relation to leprosy is discussed.