Disability associated with mental disorders

Disability associated with mental illness is a major contributor to the global burden of disease. The present study looks at some aspects of disability associated with 7 psychiatric disorders: schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, anxiety disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, dementia, and mental and behavioural disorders due to the use of alcohol.

(i) To evaluate the nature and quantity of disabilities in the study groups; (ii) to compare the degree of disability with the severity of the disorder; (iii) to compare disability among various disorders; and (iv) to study the longitudinal stability of disability in the disease groups.

A total of 228 patients attending the OPD, Department of Psychiatry, Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh, between July 2003 and June 2004, who were diagnosed as per ICD-10 guidelines and SCAN, were included in the study. Severity was assessed by the application of some commonly used rating scales for each specific disorder. The level of disability was assessed by using the Indian Disability Evaluation and Assessment Scale (IDEAS). Patients were followed up at 6 and 12 months. Statistical analysis was done on SPSS version 10.

All the 7 disorders under study are associated with significant disability; schizophrenia being maximally disabling. Disability associated with alcohol use disorder and anxiety is comparable to disability on account of OCD. Over a period of 12 months, disability due to depression, alcohol use disorder and anxiety tend to remain significant.