The prevalence and detection of possible minor psychiatric morbidity in students attending the Student Health Services at the University of Cape Town : a pilot study

• Main Author: Gelman, Tamara
• Other Authors: Swartz, Leslie
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: University of Cape Town 2014
• Subjects: Clinical Psychology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9752

Includes bibliographical references. === This study reports upon the point prevalence of possible minor psychiatric morbidity in students attending the Student Health Service at the University of Cape Town. It also establishes the prevalence of exposure to trauma, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and substance abuse (alcohol and drugs) and assesses adjustment to university as well as financial and academic coping. Relationships amongst variables of interest are examined. The study establishes, also, a detection rate of minor psychiatric morbidity by medical personnel. The findings of this study are related to mental health services for students at the University of Cape Town as a whole. Using a cross-sectional design, a questionnaire containing the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-25) was administered to students attending the general health services of the Student Health Service over a 3 week period (N=515). Since this is a pilot study, no second stage criterion was administered. Clinical staff (nurses and doctors) attending to the student sample were asked to complete a brief questionnaire. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis.