Table 2.
A pragmatic classification of mental and neurological disorders (MNDs).
| Common MNDs | Severe MNDs | |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical syndromes | • Depression/anxiety (or CMDs) | • Psychotic disorders |
| • AUDs | • Dementias | |
| • Epilepsy | ||
| • Mental retardation | ||
| • Strokes | ||
| Presenting clinical features | • Present mainly in general or primary health care | • Low use of primary care |
| • Somatic complaints dominate | • Help-seeking often precipitated by acute events, e.g. disturbed behaviour, loss of neurological function | |
| • Most people do not consider their illness an MND | • Help-seeking often through indigenous providers or directly through specialist services if available | |
| Epidemiological characteristics | • Common (@5% of population) | • Less frequent |
| • Risk is heavily influenced by social determinants | • Genetic and biological environmental determinants | |
| • Often co-morbid with each other | • Often co-morbid with each other | |
| Detection | • Brief screening questionnaires | • First stage through key informants or emergency assessment in crisis situations; confirmation by trained health worker |
| Course and outcome | • Many will recover, but relapses common | • Chronic course |
| • Poor outcomes for dementia, strokes | ||
| Opportunities for integration with other health programmes | • Chronic diseases | • Disability programmes |
| • Maternal and child health | • Chronic diseases | |
| • HIV/AIDS | • School health | |
| • School health |
AUD: alcohol-use disorder; CMD: common mental disorder.