Who visits the psychiatric emergency room for the first time?
R Bruffaerts, M Sabbe, K Demyttenaere�- Social psychiatry and psychiatric�…, 2006 - Springer
R Bruffaerts, M Sabbe, K Demyttenaere
Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 2006•SpringerObjective To examine patient and system characteristics of first-time (“incident”) vs. recurrent
(“recurrent”) use of a psychiatric emergency room (PER). Methods Data on demographic
and clinical characteristics and health service utilization were collected for incident and
recurrent users (n= 3,719) who visited the PER of the university hospital in Leuven, Belgium,
between March 2000 and March 2002. Results About 64%(n= 2,368) were incident and
36%(n= 1,351) were recurrent users. The PER was the first treatment setting ever for 50% of�…
(“recurrent”) use of a psychiatric emergency room (PER). Methods Data on demographic
and clinical characteristics and health service utilization were collected for incident and
recurrent users (n= 3,719) who visited the PER of the university hospital in Leuven, Belgium,
between March 2000 and March 2002. Results About 64%(n= 2,368) were incident and
36%(n= 1,351) were recurrent users. The PER was the first treatment setting ever for 50% of�…
Objective
To examine patient and system characteristics of first-time (“incident”) vs. recurrent (“recurrent”) use of a psychiatric emergency room (PER).
Methods
Data on demographic and clinical characteristics and health service utilization were collected for incident and recurrent users (n=3,719) who visited the PER of the university hospital in Leuven, Belgium, between March 2000 and March 2002.
Results
About 64% (n=2,368) were incident and 36% (n=1,351) were recurrent users. The PER was the first treatment setting ever for 50% of the incident users. Incident users were most likely over 69�years (OR=2.84, P<0.001), employed (OR=2.21, P<0.001), or referred by a health care professional (OR=1.72, P<0.001). They were less likely to have a personality disorder (OR=0.40, P<0.001) or to have used inpatient or outpatient services in the past (OR’s 0.11 and 0.65, respectively, P<0.001). About 44% were admitted, 38% referred for outpatient treatment, 9% referred to the outpatient crisis-intervention program, and 9% refused any follow-up.
Conclusions
The PER was a first treatment setting ever for 1 in 3 patients. Incident and recurrent users differed in sociodemographic characteristics, pathways to care, service use, and the presence of a personality disorder. They did not differ in axis 1 disorders, comorbid mental disorders, or pathways after care.
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