Abstract

DE SORDI, Luisa Petelincar; BIGATTO, Karen Roberta Steagall; SANTOS, Sara Giubilei  and  MACHADO, Ana Lúcia. Comorbidities in users of a mental health service. Revista Portuguesa de Enfermagem de Saúde Mental [online]. 2015, n.spe2, pp.89-94. ISSN 1647-2160.

BACKGROUND: Bio-psycho-social care in mental health involves different types of knowledge, and the objective is the intervention in the three areas of psychosocial rehabilitation: living, working and the social net. On this perspective, it is healthy to notice the occurrence of comorbidities. Psychiatric comorbidity is the simultaneous occurrence of two or more mental disorder in the same person. Whereas, physical comorbidity in a person with mental disorder happens when physical and mental pathologies coexist. AIM: investigate the occurrence of comorbidities among the patients of a Mental Health Service in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: this article is a qualitative study, in which 15 patients of a Mental Health Service were interviewed. It was observed signs and symptoms for other diseases in all the subjects. RESULTS: Schizophrenia appeared as the most frequent psychiatric diagnosis. The main physical alterations were related to overweight, obesity, consumption of tobacco and alcohol. Other symptoms were observed that can be associated to the use of psychopharmacological drugs and its side effects. CONCLUSIONS: Comorbidity is present among psychiatric patients. In order to offer a comprehensive health care, it is required to have a planned care by health team and patient together, through dialog, having the subject at the center of his/her own care.

Keywords : Mental health; Comorbidity; Mental health services.

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