FREQUENTLY HOSPITALIZED PSYCHIATRIC-PATIENTS - A STUDY OF PREDICTIVE FACTORS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors predicting re admission and the interval between readmissions to psychiatric hospita l during the early 1990s in Finland. Data were retrieved using the nat ional register of all discharges from psychiatric hospitals during the early 1990s. Frequently admitted patients were an identifiable group. The factors associated with an increased risk of multiple readmission s were: previous admissions, long length of stay (LOS) and diagnosis o f psychosis or personality disorder. Patients with psychosis or person ality disorder were also readmitted more rapidly than patients with an organic disorder. There seemed to be a small proportion of psychiatri c patients in need of frequent or lengthy hospital treatment. The expa nsion of community care did not as such seem to have diminished the ne ed and use of psychiatric hospital care. However, the differences betw een the years 1990 and 1993 were less important than the other factors that predicted readmission, namely LOS and diagnosis.