The use of screening investigations in psychiatry.

This is a study of the results of screening tests on all new psychiatric in-patients over a period of one year. Although none of the results indicated definite physical causes for the psychiatric illness, 10 per cent of the tests revealed abnormalities resulting from or co-incidental with the psychiatric illness. Of these abnormal results 61 per cent led to no further investigation or treatment, and the significance of this is discussed.