Citation

van der Westhuizen C, Wyatt G, Williams JK, Stein DJ, Sorsdahl K. J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 2014; 202(9): 638-646.

Affiliation

*Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; and †Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, University of California Los Angeles.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/NMD.0000000000000176

PMID

25126754

Abstract

Little is known about the prevalence and predictors of mental disorders among injured emergency center (EC) patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Patients presenting with either an intentional or unintentional injury were recruited (N = 200). Mental health, injury, and psychological trauma histories were assessed. Descriptive statistics and logistic regressions were conducted, and predictors of current mental disorder were identified. Diagnostic criteria for a current mental disorder, including substance use disorders, were met by 59.5% of the participants. Compared with those with an unintentional injury, the intentionally injured participants were more likely to be diagnosed with a current mental disorder (66.9% vs. 48.8%, p =.01). High frequencies of previous intentional injuries predicted for current mental disorder (OR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.08-1.98), whereas male gender and witnessed community violence predicted substance use disorder diagnoses. The findings indicate that injured EC patients, particularly those with intentional injuries, are at risk for mental disorders. Psychosocial interventions in the EC context can potentially make an important contribution in reducing the burden of mental disorders and injuries in LMICs.

Language: en