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Delusional misidentification of health care professionals

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Abstract

Delusional misidentification of others generally involves a person misidentifying others who are emotionally and geographically proximate to that person. Health care professionals may become the objects of delusional misidentification. The present study reviews and analyzes the anglophonic literature on published reports of misidentified health care professionals and adds two new cases. Relevant issues raised when patients misidentify health care professionals are explored, particularly the danger posed by these misidentification delusions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA

    J. Arturo Silva M.D. (staff psychiatrist associate professor of psychiatry)

  2. the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Los Angeles, California

    Gregory B. Leong M.D. (staff psychiatrist)

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles

    Gregory B. Leong M.D. (staff psychiatrist) &  Michelle M. Ferrari M.D. (staff psychiatrist)

  4. the Center for Health Care Services, San Antonio, Texas

    Michelle M. Ferrari M.D. (staff psychiatrist)

  5. Psychiatry Service (116A), Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital, 7400 Merton Minter Blvd., 78284, San Antonio, TX

    J. Arturo Silva M.D. (staff psychiatrist associate professor of psychiatry)

Authors
  1. J. Arturo Silva M.D.
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  2. Gregory B. Leong M.D.
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  3. Michelle M. Ferrari M.D.
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Silva, J.A., Leong, G.B. & Ferrari, M.M. Delusional misidentification of health care professionals. Psych Quart 66, 51–61 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02238715

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