Leaving hospital: one and two-year outcomes of long-stay psychiatric patients discharged to the community

Abstract

This study assesses the effects of relocation from hospital on the level of functioning, m orale and satisfaction of 188 long-stay patients discharged from the six major psychiatric hospitals in Northern Ireland during 1990-1992. There w as little change in clients' skills (eg. domestic and social skills) one and two years after discharge. The behaviour of form er patients was not adversely affected by life in the comm unity. They were less depressed than in hospital and were also more satisfied with their living environments. Overall, the findings, which are broadly in line with those reported elsewhere, indicate that the policy of relocating people outside hospital has been a lim ited success.J Ment Health Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by RMIT University on 03/15/15For personal use only.

Comparing the effectiveness of different types of supported housing for patients with chronic schizophrenia

“…The rating scale for each specific area (see details in text) ranges from 0 ("no social disability) to 5 ("maximum degree of social disability"). accordance with results on the development of psychopathological symptoms found in comparable international research projects (Barbato et al 2004;Donnelly et al 1996;Leff and Szmidla 2002;Middleboe 1997;Nelson et al 1997;Priebe et al 2002), several German de-institutionalisation studies (Kallert et al 2006) and summarised in a recent international review on the effectiveness of supported housing . When the definition of positive outcome employed by the German social-legal system (BSHG 1998) is used, which includes not only an improvement of symptoms but also the prevention of further deterioration and thus, stability, it appears that living in supported housing facilities is not the better option for the course of psychopathological symptoms.…”

Avaliação das habilidades de vida independente e comportamento social de pacientes psiquiátricos desospitalizados

“…Os principais fatores associados a esse comprometimento são a presença de sintomas negativos e déficits cognitivos 32,33 e, no caso de pacientes desospitalizados, o isolamento imposto pelo longo período de hospitalização 34 . Devido à cronicidade do quadro, as mudanças no comportamento e a aquisição de habilidades pelos pacientes nem sempre são expressivas 35,36 . Observou-se redução na dose média de neurolépticos entre as duas etapas.…”

What is the Lived Experience of Being Discharged From a Psychiatric Inpatient Stay?

“…Some studies exploring patients' experiences of being in the community have not examined cause of death in those who have died at follow-up, therefore those that may have committed suicide are unknown (e.g. Donnelly, et al, 1996).…”

“…Donnelly, et al, 1996;Meehan, et al, 2006;Naji, 1999). Therefore, whilst there is a wealth of knowledge regarding the risk factors postdischarge, little is known about why the transition is so difficult in order to gear interventions to their needs.…”

“…Patients have reported loneliness and difficulties attending appointments due to lack of transport as problems (Beebe, 2010). Even for individuals who were deemed to function well in the community after leaving hospital, there was little difference in their level of morale following discharge, even after two years (Donnelly et al, 1996).…”