[A community short-term crisis unit does not reduce acute admissions to psychiatric wards]

(Krisepost ved distriktspsykiatrisk senter reduserer ikke akuttinnleggelser i sykehus.)

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND: Due to long-term capacity problems in the psychiatric acute ward, we tried to canalise acute admissions due to life crises (and not serious mental disease) to a new short-term in-patient crisis unit. Our hypothesis was that the opening of this unit would lead to fewer admissions to the psychiatric acute ward and that this change would be reflected by an increase of patients with a more severe psychopathology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study had a quasi-experimental design. Two patient groups in a psychiatric acute ward (from separate catchment areas) were compared before (2.1.2003-1.6.2003) and after (2.1.2004-1.6.2004) establishment of a community based short-term inpatient crisis unit in one of the catchment areas. RESULTS: 234 patients were included in the study. Admissions to the psychiatric acute ward did not decline from any of the catchment areas from the first to the second time-period . The second time-period was associated with less psychopathology, but only for men in the area with a crisis unit. The reduction was largest for self-harm and suicidal behaviour (p = 0.02) and depression (p = 0.01). INTERPRETATION: None of our hypotheses were confirmed. Our main conclusion is that patient flow in acute mental health services involves a multitude of complex and unpredictable factors. The services continuously reorganise. Different ways of organising mental health services are rarely studied systematically, and such studies are difficult and resource demanding.

Author information

Author/s: Bergerud, Tone (T); Møller, Paul (P); Larsen, Frode (F); Veenstra, Marijke (M); Ruud, Torleif (T);

Affiliation: Allmennpsykiatrisk døgnseksjon, Psykiatrisk Senter Asker, Sykehuset Asker og Baerum, Postboks 83, 1309 Rud, Norway. tone.bergerud(-atsign-)sabhf.no

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; English Abstract; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Tidsskrift for den Norske lægeforening : tidsskrift for praktisk medicin, ny række (Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen), published in Norway. (Language: nor)

Reference: 2009-Oct; vol 129 (issue 19) : pp 1973-6

Dates: Created 2009/10/13; Completed 2009/10/21;

PMID: 19823199, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/21/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.