PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION OF LIMB FRACTURE PATIENTS

The study included 70 consecutive patients with fracture of the lower and upper limbs each and an equal number of age and sex matched normal control subjects. All the subjects were screened using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), Carroll Rating Scale for Depression (CRSD), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Impact of Events Scale (IES), Fatigue Scale (FS) and the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ). Probable "Psychiatric cases" identified by the questionnaires underwent diagnostic psychiatric evaluation. As compared to normal controls, the limb fracture patients obtained significantly higher scores on the GHQ, MAST, CRSD, IES & FS but not on the STAI & PSQ. Psychiatric evaluation revealed significantly higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders in lower limb fracture patients (n=31) as compared to upper limb fracture patients (n=18) and control subjects (n=6). Limb fracture patients had a high prevalence of alcohol dependence/abuse (243%) and depressive disorders (6.4%). The results indicate that psychological intervention would greatly facilitate the management of these patients.