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A longitudinal study of general practitioner consultations for psychiatric disorders in adolescence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Nigel Smeeton ,
Greg Wilkinson ,
David Skuse  and
John Fry
Nigel Smeeton*
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Medicine, Guy's Hospital; Department of Psychiatry, London Hospital Medical College; Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Child Health, London; and Beckenham, Kent
Greg Wilkinson
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Medicine, Guy's Hospital; Department of Psychiatry, London Hospital Medical College; Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Child Health, London; and Beckenham, Kent
David Skuse
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Medicine, Guy's Hospital; Department of Psychiatry, London Hospital Medical College; Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Child Health, London; and Beckenham, Kent
John Fry
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Medicine, Guy's Hospital; Department of Psychiatry, London Hospital Medical College; Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Child Health, London; and Beckenham, Kent
*
1 Address for correspondence: Mr Nigel Smeeton, Department of Public Health Medicine, UMDS (Guy's Campus), London SE1 9RT.
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Synopsis

Patterns of psychiatric diagnoses given during adolescence to a group of individuals continuously registered with a single general practitioner in South London over 20 years were analysed first during ‘early adolescence’ and secondly during ‘early adulthood’. Psychiatric diagnoses were found to be relatively common. Of the young adolescents who received a psychiatric diagnosis (almost one in ten of the group), 38% received a psychiatric diagnosis as young adults compared with only 16% of the remainder. Comorbidity was found to be very common – over 50% of young adults with a diagnosis of depression also had a diagnosis of anxiety and phobic neuroses. Young people with problems of a psychological nature therefore deserve more attention, particularly from the primary care team.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 22 , Issue 3 , August 1992 , pp. 709 - 715
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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