HIGH DELINQUENCY, DISABILITY AND MORTALITY - A REGISTER STUDY OF FORMER ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC-INPATIENTS

A Norwegian population of 1276 former adolescent psychiatric in-patien ts was followed up 15 to 33 years after hospitalization by record link age to the national registers of criminality, disability benefits and causes of death. In total 1095 patients (53.7% males), representing 85 .8% of the original sample, could be traced. On the basis of the hospi tal records all patients were rediagnosed according to DSM-IV. At foll ow-up, 52.0% of those investigated had engaged in criminal activity, 3 8.5% had received disability benefits, and 13.6% had died. The delinqu ency, disability and mortality rates were significantly increased comp ared to those for the general population. In total, 22.9% of the popul ation were not found in any of the above registers and were considered to have a good outcome.