PROSPECTIVE-STUDY INTO FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH AGGRESSIVE INCIDENTS IN PSYCHIATRIC ACUTE ADMISSION WARDS

Background Factors associated with aggression among psychiatric in-pat ients are still poorly understood. inconsistent published findings are partly attributable to methodological problems. Much previous researc h has been undertaken in specialist settings, where conditions are lik ely to differ from those in acute admission wards. Method levels of ag gression were ascertained weekly by staff report, using a reliable mea sure, for every patient on five acute admission wards and one locked i ntensive care ward at two hospitals prospectively over a five-month pe riod.Results Levels of aggression varied considerably among the admiss ion wards. Aggression was more common on the locked ward and among you nger patients. Factors associated with aggression changed with time si nce admission (seldom examined in previous studies). Complex associati ons were found with gender, ethnic group and diagnosis. Conclusions So me of the findings might be explicable by differences in ward environm ent and staff-patient interactions. Further investigation into these i s warranted.