EPA-0458 - Perception of Liaison Psychiatry in Somatic Medecine

Abstract

Introduction:

Liaison psychiatry specializes in the interface between physical and psychological health. This discipline to which a large literature was devoted, has developed in recent decades. In our country, because of economic and social factors, the implantation of this ‘sub-specialty’ is still difficult. Its location in general hospitals must go first by its acceptance by the health professionals.

Objectives:

Assess the perception of the management of somato-psychiatric comorbidities in somatic medicine and the practice of liaison psychiatry.

Materials and methods:

It is a transversal and descriptive study of 68 non-psychiatric physicians practicing in public institutions. They all received self-assessment questionnaires with 15 questions via internet.

Results:

The surveyed physicians were mostly medical residents (43%). The sex ratio (M / F) was 0.2. Among participants, 71% had sometimes suspected or diagnosed psychiatric illness among their patients. Depression was the most frequent diagnostic (27% of cases).

The majority of participants (60%) rarely search psychiatric complications of severe somatic diseases. Faced with psychiatric symptoms, 82% of practitioners consistently directed the patient to psychiatric consultation. Finally, 87% of physicians considered the existence of a psychiatric unit in the hospital as beneficial and 58% of them judged the presence of a psychiatrist in the team as crucial.

Conclusion:

The results of this study emphasize the importance of collaboration between psychiatry and other medical specialties and the necessity to promote the liaison psychiatry in our country.