Patients Who Benefit From Psychiatric Admission In The General Hospital [pacientes Que Se Beneficiam De Interna̧tiao Psiquiátrica Em Hospital Geral]

Objectives. Psychiatric hospitalization though burdensome remains a very important therapeutic option for severely-ill psychiatric patients. Hospitalization in general hospital psychiatry units (GHPU) are often regarded as the best option. A study was carried out with the purpose of assessing socioeconomic and medical variables associated with success and failure of hospitalization. Methods. A review was performed on sociodemographics and medical data of 1,463 patients admitted to a general hospital's GHPU in the period between 1986 and 1997. Statistical analysis was conducted using univariate and multivariate polythomic logistic regression. Results. In the multivariate analysis three factors were identified as associated to poor hospitalization outcomes (poor condition at discharge and longer hospital stay): age 360 years, poor social functioning, and diagnosis of organic mental disorder. Conclusions. Although 80% of the patients experienced a considerable symptomatic improvement, a small group benefited less from hospitalization. It is suggestive that these patients would benefit more from psychosocial interventions.375629634Botega, N.J., Prática psiquiátrica no hospital geral: Interconsulta e emergência (2002), pp. 15-30. , Porto Alegre: ArtmedPsiquiatria no hospital geral: histórico e tendênciasCaton, C.L.M., Gralnick, A., A review of issues surrounding length of psychiatric hospitalization (1987) Hosp. Common Psychiatry, 38, pp. 858-863Hosmer, D.W., Lemeshow, S., Applied logistic regression (1989), New York: John Wiley and SonsLieberman, P.B., Phetres, E.B.M., Binette Elliot, M.A., Egerter, E., Wiitala, S., Dimensions and predictors of change during brief psychiatric hospitalization (1993) Gen. Hosp. Psychiatry, 15, pp. 316-324Pfeiffer, S.I., O'Malley, D.S., Shott, S., Factors associated with the outcome of adults treated in psychiatric hospitals: A synthesis of findings (1996) Psychiatr. Serv., 47, pp. 263-269Rabinowitz, J., Modai, I., Inbar-Saban, N., Understanding who improves after psychiatric hospitalization (1994) Acta Psychiatr. Scand., 89, pp. 152-158Russo, J., Roy-Birne, P., Jaffe, C., Ries, R., Dagadakis, C., Avery, D., Psychiatric status, quality of life, and level of care as predictors of outcomes of acute inpatient treatment (1997) Psychiatr. Serv., 48, pp. 1427-1434(1989), The SAS Institute. The SAS System for Windows (Statistical Analysis System). Version 6.12. Cary, NCStokes, M.E., Davis, C.S., Koch, G.G., Categorical data analysis using the SAS System (1990), Cary, NC: The SAS Institut