Ba. Daniels et al., PREDICTABILITY OF REHOSPITALIZATION OVER 5 YEARS FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA, BIPOLAR-DISORDER AND DEPRESSION, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 32(2), 1998, pp. 281-286
Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the rate of rehospital
isation for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression over a 5-ye
ar period in Tasmania, and to identify predictors of the number and du
ration of readmissions. Method: The Tasmanian Mental Health Register w
as used to study the 5-year pattern of rehospitalisation for all patie
nts admitted to a Tasmanian public psychiatric inpatient facility with
a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or depression,
in 1983 or 1984. Results: Seventy-one percent of patients receiving a
diagnosis of schizophrenia were readmitted in the 5-year period, comp
ared to 59% for bipolar disorder and 48% for depression. For all three
diagnoses, the number of prior admissions was a predictor of the numb
er of readmissions and the total number of days spent in hospital in t
he follow-up period. Age and sex also had significant effects, which v
aried across diagnostic groups. Conclusions: A substantial proportion
of patients hospitalised for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or schizo
phrenia were rehospitalised during the next 5 years. Patients with mor
e previous admissions had more readmissions than those with fewer prev
ious admissions.