Psychosomatic disorders in psychiatric patients in a developing country

This study reports the prevalence of psychosomatic disorders in psychiatric patients in India. The psychosomatic disorders studied were hypertension, peptic ulcer, bronchial asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, ischaemic heart disease and chronic pain. 21.5% of psychiatric patients had psychosomatic illnesses. Fifty five cases had two psychosomatic illnesses. Chronic pain (14.4%) and hypertension (9.9%) were the commonest. Patients with psychosomatic disorders were significantly more often older in age, females, married and from an urban habitat. Neurotic illness was the commonest diagnosis in them. Psychosis was significantly and inversely associated with psychosomatic disorders. This report emphasises the need for as much attention on psychosomatic problems in developing countries as in affluent ones.