Exploring the prevalence of personality disorder and the feasibility of using the SAPAS as a screening tool for personality disorder in an emergency department in India

Abstract

Background Personality disorders (PD) lead to frequent emergency department (ED) visits. Existing studies have evaluated high-risk ED populations in Western settings. PD screening tools, such as the Standardized Assessment of Personality – Abbreviated Scale (SAPAS), have thus far only been validated in Western populations. Aims This study aimed to establish the screened prevalence of PD, and to evaluate the performance of the SAPAS as a screening tool within an ED setting in India. Methods The study took place in the ED of a private multi-speciality hospital in Kolkata, India. All attendees were approached during two days per week over three months, except those who were medically unfit to participate. The SAPAS and the International Personality Disorder Examination (IPDE) were translated into Bengali and then used as screening tools for PD and as the reference standard for PD diagnosis. Results Out of 120 ED attendees approached, 97 participated (48 men and 49 women), of whom 24% met the criteria for a diagnosis of PD. A cut-off score of 4 on the SAPAS provided the best trade-off between sensitivity and specificity for detecting PD. Conclusion The prevalence of PD was similar to Western samples, and the SAPAS showed promise for use in a non-Western setting.