Young doctors' perspectives on malingering among corps members in a resource–limited orientation camp clinic: A mixed-method study.

Davids KI1*, Adesina A2, Oyeyemi AS3, Eguvbe AO1, Rotifa S1
1Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
2Nigerian Law School Medical Centre, Yenagoa Campus, Agudama, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
3Department of Community Medicine, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
*Correspondence: Dr. Davids Kellybest Ibasimama; +2348063263545; jolkeldav@gmail.com

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Background: Malingering among National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members is common yet poorly documented. Failing to detect and declare cases of malingering may impose economic burden on a resource restrained camp clinic. False attribution of malingering could hurt genuine patients. This study explored the young doctor’s perspectives on malingering in the orientation camp clinic of Bayelsa State.
Objective: To determine young doctors’ perspectives on malingering among corps members in a resource–limited orientation camp clinic.
Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. Following the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) IV criteria for diagnosing Malingering, quantitative and qualitative data were collected from the study population by administering a self-developed semi-structured online questionnaire and by conducting a focused group discussion (FGD) respectively.
Results: Mean age of respondents was 28.35 (SD=2.925) years with 80% males and 20% females. Close to half (45%) of the doctors were sometimes exact at detecting malingering and 45% of them had only two years’ practice experience. Military parades and quest for redeployment are most identified reasons for malingering among corps members. Deciding not to report detected cases was due to lack of investigations to rule out initial diagnosis. Wastage of limited clinic resources and fatigue of limited human resources were the most identified consequences of malingering. Exposing and dealing with culprits, reducing camp strenuous activities and a high index of suspicion by corps medical team were some of the suggested ways to curb the menace.
Conclusion: Malingering is common among Corps Members posted to Bayelsa State and it may be detected without the use of any special psychological assessments. To curb it, identified cases should be documented, exposed and dealt with. Camp strenuous activities and other precursors should be reduced.

Keywords: Malingering, Corps members, Young doctors.

Cite this article: Davids KI, Adesina A, Oyeyemi AS, Eguvbe AO, Rotifa S. Young doctors’ perspectives on malingering among corps members in a resource–limited orientation camp clinic: A mixed-method study. Yen Med J. 2020;2(1):18-27.

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