Psychological comorbidities: Impact on respiratory health

Abstract

Respiratory diseases are commonly associated with mental health issues, which add to morbidity and mortality. However, this association has never received sufficient attention. There is an urgent need to sensitize the health care workers for early identification of psychological comorbidities, and their basic management. Mental health should be an integral part of the teaching curriculum. Simple, quick and easy to use screening questionnaires should be used on a routine basis for identifying stigma, psychological distress and poor health related quality of life. Psychiatrist should be a vital part of the multidisciplinary teams. Extensive collaborative research needs to be carried out in this field to devise clear-cut recommendations for day-to-day practise.

Keywords: Psychological comorbidity; Respiratory disease; Screening tool.