Should severely disturbed patients be concentrated or distributed over several psychiatric wards? Effects of internal sectorization, partial ward opening and sex integration policy on ward atmosphere

Purpose: We examined whether ward atmosphere would improve after distributi ng severely disturbed patients over several wards instead of concentrating them in closed single-sex wards. Methods: Four wards for predominantly psyc hotic patients were studied using the German version of the ward atmosphere scale (WAS) before and after internal sectorisation, partial ward opening and mixing the sexes. Results: 345 questionnaires (162 staff members, 183 p atients) were evaluated. After the structural changes a significant improve ment of the ward atmosphere was evident on the average of all wards (Raps R = 1.654, p = 0.037). Conclusion: Internal sectorisation and sex integratio n policy have beneficial effects on ward atmosphere. Severaly disturbed pat ients should not be concentrated but equally distributed over psychiatric w ards.