Evaluation of Cases Presenting to a University Hospital Psychiatry Clinic for the Determination of Disability

Abstract

Objective:In this study, sociodemographic characteristics and diagnoses of patients who presented to Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Medicine Department of Psychiatry for disability evaluation and who were confirmed to be psychiatrically disabled.Methods:The files of the patients who presented to the health board for disability determination between 01.01.2019 and 31.12.2019 were reviewed retrospectively. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed for demographic and clinical data.Results:There were 494 patients over the age of 18 years, who presented for disability determination. It was concluded that 43 of 157 cases with psychiatric diagnosis at the time of presentation were confirmed to be disabled. The average age of these cases was 42.56±8.50 years and 37 (86%) were male. The most common diagnoses of disability were mental retardation with an IQ of 50 and below (n=18, 41.86%) and schizophrenia and its subtypes (n=12, 27.9%), which does not allow employment despite treatment.Conclusion:The results of our study will guide future studies on the recognition of mental disorders that result in disability and adversely affect the employment of individuals and their integration into working life.

Keywords

• disability
• health board
• mental disorders