The recognition and treatment of the simultaneous presence of mental and physical disorders has become a central challenge for health care systems worldwide. The co-morbidity of mental and physical disorders is frequent and its consequences for the persons who have both types of disorders are numerous - ranging from a worsening of the prognosis of both disorders (and a more severe impairment and consequent disability) to the exposure to risks of inappropriate or insufficient treatment. The management of problems related to the co-morbidity of mental and physical disorders meets problems resulting from the traditional separation of psychiatry from general medicine and from the attitudes of psychiatrists and other medical specialists who have been trained in a manner reflecting similar attitudes of their teachers. It also meets problems due to insufficient knowledge about the pathogenesis of co-morbidity and the impact that co-morbidity may have on the reaction to treatment of either or both disorders that are present.

The presentation will refer to epidemiological findings concerning co-morbidity of mental and physical disorders and enumerate problems that arise in care as well as possible solutions to them.