Sociodemographic characteristics and frequency of psychiatric disorders in Turkish pilgrims attending psychiatric outpatient clinics during Hajj

Abstract

Objectives: The psychiatric problems of pilgrims from non-Arabic speaking countries have not been investigated sufficiently. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of psychiatric disorders and socio-demographic characteristics of Turkish pilgrims in psychiatry department of Turkish Mecca Hospital. Methods: A detailed psychiatric interview was performed on 294 Turkish Pilgrims who attended the outpatient clinic of the psychiatric unit at the Turkish hospital in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during 2008 Hajj period. Information was collected by using a semi-structured form and the patients\' diagnoses were done according to the DSM-IV-TR criteria. Results: The study group consisted of 175 women (59.5 %) and 119 men (40.5 %) with the mean age of 53.0±13 years. A total of 71 % patients had not traveled abroad previously, and 60% had received a former psychiatric treatment. The commonest disorders were found as depression (26.5%), adjustment disorder with anxiety (16.3%) and panic disorder (14%) in the patients. Anxiety disorders alone or co-morbid with any other psychiatric disorder were found in 49% of the patients. Nine percent of the patients had symptoms of acute psychosis, schizophrenia, dementia or mania which could prevent pilgrims from performing Hajj rituals. Suicide attempt, alcohol and illicit drug use were not detected. Conclusions: Previous psychiatric admission and absence of any foreign travel experience were common among Turkish pilgrims who had sought psychiatric help during the Hajj. Psychiatric disorders seems to be related with older age, low educational level, and having previous medical and psychiatric problems.

Keywords

• Mecca, Hajj (pilgrimage), Turkish pilgrims, psychiatric disorders, frequency

Hac süresince psikiyatri polikliniğine başvuran Türk hacılarında sosyodemografik özellikler ve psikiyatrik hastalıkların sıklığı

Abstract

Amaç: Arapça konuşmayan ülkelerden gelen hacıların psikiyatrik sorunları yeterince incelenmemiştir. Bu çalışmanın amacı Mekke Türk Hastanesine başvuran hacılarda rastlanan psikiyatrik bozuklukların sıklığını ve hastaların sosyodemografik özelliklerini araştırmaktır. Gereç ve yöntem: Suudi Arabistan\'daki Mekke kentinde bulunan Mekke Türk Hastanesi psikiyatri polikliniğine başvuran 294 hasta ile psikiyatrik açıdan detaylı görüşme yapıldı. Hasta bilgileri yarı yapılandırılmış bir form yardımıyla elde edildi ve tanılar DSM-IV-TR kriterlerine göre kondu. Bulgular: Hastalar toplam 175 kadın (%59.5), 119 erkekten (%40.5) oluştu ve yaş ortalaması 53.0±13 yıl idi. Hastaların yaklaşık %71\'i daha önce hiç yurtdışına çıkmamıştı ve %60\'ı daha önce en az bir kez psikiyatrik tedavi görmüştü. Hastalarda saptanan en yaygın bozukluklar şunlardı; depresyon (%26.5), anksiyeteli uyum bozukluğu (%16.3), panik bozukluk (%14). Hastaların %49\'unda tek başına ya da komorbidite şeklinde herhangi bir anksiyete bozukluğu bulunmaktaydı. Hastaların %9\'una akut psikoz, şizofreni, demans ya da mani tanısı kondu ki, bu tablolar hacıların hac gereklerini yerine getirmesine engel olabilir özellikte idi. İntihar girişimi, alkol ve madde kullanımı herhangi bir hastada saptanmadı. Sonuç: Hac sürecinde psikiyatrik yardım arayan Türk hacıları arasında daha önce psikiyatrik tedavi görme ve yurt dışında bulunmama öyküsü yaygındı. Psikiyatrik bozukluklar ileri yaş, düşük eğitim düzeyi ve daha önce fiziksel ve psikiyatrik bir problemi olma ile yakından ilişkili bulundu.

Keywords

• Mekke, Hac, Türk hacılar, psikiyatrik bozukluklar, sıklık

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