Similarities and Differences in Patient Evaluation by U. S. and U. K. Psychiatrists
MYRON G. SANDIFER JR. M.D.1,
ANTHONY HORDERN M.D.2,
GERALD C. TIMBURY M.B.3, , and
LINDA M. GREEN 4
1 Professor of psychiatry and associate dean for academic affairs, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Ky. 40506
2 Consultant psychiatrist, King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, England
3 Consultant psychiatrist and physician superintendent, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland
4 Associate, North Carolina Department of Mental Health
Comparisons were made between evaluations of 23 U. S. patients by 33 U. S. psychiatrists and eight U. K. psychiatrists. The most striking finding was that the U. S. psychiatrists reported almost twice as many symptoms as the U. K. group. Two possible explanations are offered. Also, the U. K. psychiatrists tended to report more symptoms that "overshoot the mark" such as elation, while reporting much less underactivity (dependence, indecisiveness) than did U. S. psychiatrists.
