The General Health Questionnaire and the Detection of Emotional Disorder by General Practitioners

1987 ◽  
Vol 151 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. Boardman
Keyword(s):  
General Practitioners ◽  
General Health ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Detection Ability ◽  
Two Indices ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Screening Device

This paper reports on a study of psychiatric morbidity in 920 patients attending 18 General Practitioners in Lewisham, South East London. Two indices of morbidity were computed on the basis of the patients responses to the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and the GPs' own estimates. Indices of the GPs' detection ability were found by comparing questionnaire and GP rating. The results are compared to those obtained by other workers in a sample of Manchester GPs. The GHQ gave a prevalence estimate of 42.9% which is comparable to that of 39.6% obtained in the Manchester study. In addition, the variation in caseness across sociodemographic groups was consistent with the Manchester findings. The GPs' estimates of morbidity, while much lower than those obtained in Manchester, have similar sociodemographic profiles. The results support the use of the GHQ as a screening device in epidemiological studies, and suggest the need for further investigation of the individual GP's performance as a case detector.

Severity of symptoms of psychiatric outpatients: use of the General Health Questionnaire in hospital and general practice patients

1975 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. C. P. Sims ◽  
P. H. Salmons
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
General Health ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Control Sample ◽  
Outpatient Service ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Psychiatric Outpatient ◽  
Screening Device ◽  
Matched Samples

SynopsisA sample of 91 new referrals to a community based psychiatric outpatient service was compared with a cross-matched control sample of 107 patients attending the general practitioner's surgery. The subjects in both groups completed the General Health Questionnaire and there was a very marked difference between the scores of the two groups. Seventy-five of the psychiatric group had a high score on the questionnaire, and a large number of these were extremely high, while 74 of the general practice group had a low score. The ‘false’ positives and negatives are discussed. It is considered that the validity of this questionnaire as a screening device for demonstrating psychiatric morbidity and severity in general practice is further established in this study by showing that in matched samples the expected psychiatric morbidity in general practice can be compared with the much greater morbidity in psychiatric outpatient referrals. For the psychiatric sample more patients showed high scores and these tended to be much higher.

The influence of minor psychiatric morbidity on consulting rates to general practitioners

1983 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 635-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. W. Burvill ◽  
M. W. Knuiman
Keyword(s):  
General Practitioner ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
General Health ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Biological Difference ◽  
Rate Of Increase ◽  
Males And Females

SynopsisThe presence and severity of Minor Psychiatric Morbidity (MPM) as measured by the 60-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and being female rather than male, increases the consulting rate of people in the community to their general practitioner. Therate of increaseof consulting decreases as the severity of MPM increases. There is an interaction between age and MPM, giving progressively increased consulting rates in the older age groups in males but not females. The possibility of a biological difference between males and females in the interaction of MPM and physical, and of age and physical illness, is raised.

The Prevalence of Chronic Psychiatric Morbidity

1985 ◽  
Vol 146 (4) ◽  
pp. 372-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Stanley ◽  
Andrew J. Gibson
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
General Health ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Cultural Factors ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
False Negatives ◽  
Community Screening ◽  
Chronic Disorders ◽  
Screening Device

SummarySeveral studies have commented upon the false negatives which can result when the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) is employed as a community screening device for psychological distress. It would appear that some false negatives are the result of individual or cultural factors, whilst others result from the phrasing of the GHQ questions, which may mislead patients suffering from chronic disorders. This paper reports the use of additional questions, designed to detect such chronicity.

Psychiatric Morbidity among Dunedin Chinese Women

1992 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Cheung ◽  
George Spears
Keyword(s):  
General Health ◽  
Chinese Women ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Postal Survey ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Foreign Born ◽  
Family Reunion ◽  
Case Identification

A community postal survey of minor psychiatric morbidity among Chinese women living in Dunedin was conducted. The 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) was used as the case identification instrument. The overall rate of psychiatric morbidity of Dunedin Chinese women did not differ from their European counterparts. The sociodemographic factors found to be associated with minor psychiatric morbidity included having no children, and being either very well or very poorly educated. Among (foreign born) migrants, those who were born in China, whose reason for migration was “follow the lead of their family” or “family reunion”, had resided in NewZealand for ten years or more and spoke English infrequently tended to have higher psychiatric morbidity.

Emotional Disturbance in Hearing Clinic Patients

1980 ◽  
Vol 137 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Burt Singerman ◽  
Erwin Riedner ◽  
Marshal Folstein
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Emotional Disturbance ◽  
General Health ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Vestibular Symptoms ◽  
Hearing Evaluation

SummaryA group of outpatients scheduled for hearing evaluation were screened for psychiatric morbidity using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30). There was an association between objective hearing loss and elevated GHQ-30 score. An association was also found between the presence of tinnitus and vestibular symptoms and elevated GHQ-30 score.

Psychiatric morbidity among Punjabi medical patients in England measured by General Health Questionnaire

1990 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 711-719 ◽  
Author(s):  
I-B. Krause ◽  
R. M. Rosser ◽  
M. L. Khiani ◽  
N. S. Lotay
Keyword(s):  
General Health ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Asian Immigrants ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Medical Patients ◽  
Health Centres

SynopsisThe 28-item GHQ was administered to 282 Punjabi and white British patients visiting two Health Centres in Bedford. We discovered that ethnicity is not significantly correlated with GHQ ‘caseness’, but that differences exist in somatic and depressive symptomatology. The discussion relates these findings to debates about the psychiatric morbidity of Asian immigrants and somatization.

Social factors and minor psychiatric disorder in middle-aged men: a validation study and a population survey

1991 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Stansfeld ◽  
J. E. J. Gallacher ◽  
D. S. Sharp ◽  
J. W. G. Yarnell
Keyword(s):  
Social Class ◽  
Psychiatric Disorder ◽  
General Health ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Social Contacts ◽  
Married Men

SYNOPSISA cross-sectional survey of minor psychiatric disorder is reported in a representative community sample of 2204 men between the ages of 45 years and 64 years living in Caerphilly, South Wales. Minor psychiatric disorder was measured by the 30-item General Health Questionnaire and validated by the Clinical Interview Schedule in a consecutive sample of 97 men, weighted to provide one-third cases, two-thirds non-cases. A case threshold of 4/5 on the General Health Questionnaire was chosen on the basis of ‘ROC’ analysis. An overall estimated ‘true’ prevalence rate for minor psychiatric disorder of 22·0% was found, with 22·3% of men scoring 5 or more on the General Health Questionnaire. Rates of minor psychiatric disorder were higher in widowed and divorced men than in married men but were also, unexpectedly, lower in single as opposed to married men. There was no social-class gradient in minor psychiatric morbidity but a lower rate in Social Class III NM may be largely explained by lower unemployment rates. There were markedly higher rates of minor psychiatric morbidity in unemployed men and those who retired ill. Men with no available social contacts had higher rates of morbidity than men with some or high social contacts.

Psychiatric Morbidity in Women Attending a Clinic for Vulval Problems—Is There a Higher Rate in Vulvodynia?

1993 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 237-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danitza Jadresic ◽  
Simon Barton ◽  
Sally Neill ◽  
Richard Staughton ◽  
Roger Marwood
Keyword(s):  
General Health ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Health Questionnaire

A General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) was completed by 55 women attending a clinic for vulval problems in central London. The GHQ-caseness rate was 40% from which the psychiatric morbidity in the sample was estimated to be 32%. The level of psychiatric morbidity in 10 women with a diagnosis of vulvodynia was similar to that of 41 women with other vulval diagnoses.

The Psychological Well-being of Supporters of the Demented Elderly

1987 ◽  
Vol 150 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Eagles ◽  
A. Craig ◽  
F. Rawlinson ◽  
D. B. Restall ◽  
J. A. G. Beattie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Health ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Psychiatric Assessment ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Stress Scale

Interviews were conducted with the co-resident supporters of 79 elderly subjects. Forty of these elderly subjects had been diagnosed as being demented (20 mildly, 12 moderately and eight severely) following psychiatric assessment. The supporters were screened for psychological well-being with the 60-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and the Relatives' Stress Scale (RSS). Supporters of demented relatives showed significantly raised levels of stress on the RSS, but no increase in psychiatric morbidity on the GHQ, when compared with the supporters of non-demented relatives. The implications of these findings are discussed.

The Mental Health of Elderly Couples II. Concordance for Psychiatric Morbidity in Spouses

1987 ◽  
Vol 150 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Eagles ◽  
L. G. Walker ◽  
G. W. Blackwood ◽  
J. A. G. Beattie ◽  
D. B. Restall
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
General Health ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Married Couples ◽  
The Self ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Self Assessment

A community sample of elderly married couples completed the 60-item General Health Questionnaire and the Leeds General Scales for the Self-Assessment of Depression and Anxiety. Significant concordance was demonstrated between the spouses' scores on these scales. Concordance was higher for depression than for anxiety. There was little to support previous findings that wives are more likely than husbands to be concordant with an ill spouse. The spouse concordance rates for psychiatric morbidity were similar to those found in studies of younger married couples.

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