Clinical and Demographic Profile of Attendees at Baghdad's Walk-in Psychiatric Clinic

Few studies have examined clinical and demographic profile of attendees of a walk-in psychiatric clinic in countries ravaged by wars. The aim of this study is to quantify the characteristics of attendees of an open walk-in psychiatric clinic in a general hospital in Baghdad and the suburb towns of Iraq in the year 2010.

As part of a retrospective survey, information on specific variables (socio-demographic background, clinical characteristics and attendance rate) were sought from medical records in the year 2010 (January to December).

Despite the shortcomings expected from a country coming out of the ravage of war, the survey included 2,979 attendees (1,864 [63%] males and 1,115 [37%] females) of a walk-in psychiatric clinic who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The profile of attendees indicated that a majority of the cohort was self-referred with a predominance of employed males, aged 19 to 49 years, residing in Baghdad City. Depression and psychosis were the most common diagnosis given.

The observed patterns are discussed within the available literature relevant to consultation liaison psychiatry, and specific to situations in Iraq and Arab/Islamic cultural patterning.