Open J Psychiatry Allied Sci. 2021;12:126-31. doi: 10.5958/2394-2061.2021.00027.6. Epub 2021 Mar 20.

A comparative study on sociodemographic and clinical profile of patients undergoing admission and readmission in a mental health institute.

Das S, Mehta S, Baruah A, Sah D.

Abstract

Aims: Psychiatric patients have a high rate of readmission. So, we need to understand what kind of patients are more likely to be readmitted, to predict the clinical and social factors that place them at risk, and to identify potential limitations in existing healthcare delivery systems. Objective of the study was to find out and compare sociodemographic and clinical profiles of patients getting first admission and readmission. Methods: It was a retrospective, record-based observational study from computerised database of the institute and the case record files of patients for one year. Variables like age, sex, religion, marital status, locality, education, occupation, and diagnosis were studied. Analysis was done by chi-square test using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. Results: The total number of admissions during this period was 876, among which 463 had been admitted previously in the institute and 60 had been admitted more than once in the time period. Among new admissions and readmissions, majority were unemployed, unmarried, Hindu males, 16-30 years of age, and had schizophrenia and related spectrum diagnosis (F20-F29). No significant difference in readmission rates were found for sex, marital status, religion, educational status, or locality. Readmission rates among housewives were seen less than expected. There were significant differences among different diagnoses in terms of readmission  (p<0.001), with F30-F39 showing more than expected readmissions and F10-F19 showing more than expected first admission with less than expected readmissions. Conclusions: Current study reviews the scenario of mental healthcare utilisation. Decreased readmission rates of women and of patients with substance abuse disorders warrants further community-based research.

FULL TEXT | PDF