Vivek Arun Kumar J.K.1 , Chandrasekar Janagan Bose Maikandaan2 , Rajagopal Rajesh3 , Joseph Jenson J. 4 , Rajesh Krishnan R.K.5
BACKGROUND Skin diseases and psychiatric illnesses are frequently found in the same patient. Although the psychiatric comorbidity of patients with dermatological conditions have been frequently studied, the prevalence of skin diseases in patients with primary psychiatric illnesses in India has not yet been extensively analysed. We hope to shed some light on the topic through this study and to gain insights into the co-morbidity of skin disorders in primary psychiatric outpatients. METHODS We have utilised a cross-sectional descriptive design for estimating the prevalence of skin disorders in primary psychiatric outpatients attending the outpatient department of a tertiary medical college hospital in India during the period from October 2019 to January 2020. Patients over the age of 18 years had been recruited for the study. Informed consent was obtained from all the patients. RESULTS A total of 135 patients were recruited for the study. 70 were males and 65 were females. The mean age of the participants was 38.6 years. A total of 88 patients of whom 46 were females had a co-existing dermatological condition that amounts to a prevalence rate of 65.1 %. Around 94 cutaneous manifestations were found among the 88 patients who had a dermatological disorder. CONCLUSIONS Skin disorders were highly prevalent in patients attending the psychiatric outpatient department. This points to a need for an inquiry and examination into skin related ailments in all psychiatric patients.
