HIGH-RISK FACTORS FOR REHOSPITALIZATION WITHIN 6 MONTHS

Objective. 1. To identify risk factors associated with psychiatric reh ospitalization within six months, using global clinical assessments an d demographic information and; 2. To determine if risk factors for a h ospital in a rural region are similar to those reported for urban hosp itals. Method. The setting was a psychiatric unit within a general hos pital. All adult admissions for one year were assigned scores on the N orth Carolina Functional Assessment Scale (NCFAS) and the Global Asses sment of Functioning (GAF) scale. Patients were interviewed six months after discharge to determine if they had been rehospitalized and to a ssign new NCFAS and GAF scores. Results. Significant risk of rehospita lization was predicted by: 1. NCFAS score >90; 2. history of prior hos pitalization; 3. nursing home residence; 4. referral from a small comm unity hospital and; 5. non-compliance with outpatient appointments. Co nclusions. Global assessments and demographic information collected du ring an index admission can generate factors to identify patients at r isk for rehospitalization within six months. History of prior admissio ns and non-compliance with outpatient treat ment, reported as risk fac tors in urban settings, were found also to be risk factors in a rural region.