Sociodemographic and clinic characterization of patients with triple diagnosis in psichyatry in the Ciego de Ávila municipality

Abstract

Introduction: the triple diagnosis term in psychiatry refers to a patient who has a severe persistent mental illness, a substance abuse disorder along with a complicated medical problem, or a chronic physical condition.

Objective: to describe some sociodemographic and clinical variables in patients with triple diagnosis in psychiatry of Ciego de Ávila municipality.

Method: a cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in the period from September 2014 to June 2016. It worked with a universe of people over 18 years who attended the psychiatric consultations of polyclinics: North University, Teaching Community “Antonio Maceo”, Community South and University “Belkys Sotomayor Álvarez”, of Ciego de Ávila municipality.

Results: predominated the age group between 20 and 39 years (81,80 %), male sex (72,70 %), the level of basic secondary education (68,20 %), self-employed workers (31,80 %), the homes in a regular state (72,70 %), single marital status (45,50 %), regular support networks of family or friends (59,00 %, coffee consumption (77,27 %), tobacco (63,6 %) and alcohol (50,00 %), and mental problems (31,82 %). The majority of patients consumed two or more substances (86,36 %) and mental illness was the first to appear (50,00 %).

Conclusions: patients from Ciego de Ávila municipality who in the study period presented triple diagnosis in psychiatry (mental illness, substance dependence and over-added HIV/AIDS infection) were identified and characterized from clinical and sociodemographic variables.