Abstract
Objectives: To find out the psychological effects of Dengue Fever on its sufferers.
Study Design: This was an Interventional Prospective study.
Period: From August 2010 to January 2011 (five months.)
Setting: This study was carried out at Aadil Hospital, DHA, Lahore and Avicenna Hospital/Avicenna Medical College, Lahore.
Methods: (patients and processes). A total of 157 patients of dengue fever were seen by the physician at Aadil Hospital. A group of 119 patients (69 males and 50 females) were included in this study. An inclusion and exclusion criteria was developed. Their age range was between 20y to 65y with no gender discrimination. The patients who had history of psychiatric illness were excluded. A further 7(5.55%) patients were dropped out because they did not turn up for stage 3 assessment. All of them were initially seen by one physician. Diagnosis of Dengue fever was established on the basis of clinical symptoms as well as blood investigations. Because of intense and sever psychological symptoms they were referred to Psychiatrist. The psychiatric assessments were done in four stages by the same psychiatrist. A final assessment was aimed at to see if dengue fever sufferers developed any psychiatric illness as result of serious distress they had during the attack of dengue fever.
Results: During the acute phase of dengue fever a very high % age(Above 90%) of patients developed intense fear of death. Because of this phobia about 60% developed sever anxiety and panic attacks. Most of them settled with reassurance but some needed treatment with anxiolytics. A very high % age also suffered from insect phobia. Most of the psychological symptoms receded as the patients recovered from dengue fever. About 5% of the whole group developed a clear cut episode of depressive illness which was most likely induced by the stress caused by other psychological symptoms like death phobia.
Conclusion: Unfortunately there is astrong possibility that dengue fever might erupt in the form of an epidepic every year so the treating physcians should keep an eye on the mental health as well along with the physical health of their patients. The psychiatrists must keep in mind that though most of the psychological symptmos are likely to resolve within a weak but some of them might end up in clear cut psychiatric illness very soon after recovery from dengue fever. The media should also try to avoid a hipe.