Factors associated with recurrent hospitalization of psychiatric patients

• Main Author: Brumwell, Joan Marion
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/22319

The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate factors associated with recurrent hospitalization of psychiatric patients. A set of selected characteristics was used to describe and compare the 401 patients whose first psychiatric hospitalization occurred at the Health Sciences Centre - Psychiatric Unit, University of British Columbia in 1976 or 1977. Sixty-seven of these patients returned at least once to this Psychiatric Unit only within two years of their first hospitalization. Data gathered from the clinical records of these patients were analyzed according to comparisons of sub-groups of non-returned and returned patients at first hospitalization, non-returned and returned patients at second hospitalization and returned patients at first and second hospitalizations. The analysis revealed that patients who had a history of drug abuse, who were employed during the six months prior to hospitalization and males who were young, single, and schizophrenic at first hospitalization had a statistically greater chance of returning to hospital. At second hospitalization these patients were significantly different from patients who did not return in the following areas: history of drug abuse and history of suicide attempts. Implications of these and other findings of interest related to rehospitalization are discussed and areas for further study are identified. === Applied Science, Faculty of === Nursing, School of === Graduate