Outcome of neurotic disorders in African patients. 8 and 9 year follow-up study

Among 130 patients who attended the neurotic diseases clinic in Benin 1963--1965, it was possible to follow-up 60 patients 8--9 years later. Thirty-four patients were diagnosed as anxiety cases and of these 21 had recovered and a further five were considerably improved. Nineteen patients were considerably improved. Nineteen patients were considered cases of neurotic depression and of these only three had recovered whereas 14 had residual symptoms, although five showed considerable improvement. Two of the depressive patients had died, one during the civil war, the other presumably committed suicide. Of five patients with hysteria, one had recovered and one had become worse, one patient with hypochondriasis had also recovered whereas one patient with obsessional neurosis did not recover. The results are in line with similar European and American follow-up studies of neurotic disorder except that the depressive patients showed a less satisfactory outcome.