Background. Compliance with referral for out-patient
aftercare of psychiatric emergency patients is
limited. This study investigated the efficacy of a combination of
several referral strategies (fixed
appointment, involvement of the family, presence of the aftercare
person, motivational counselling)
in increasing referral and treatment compliance of patients referred
to the psychiatric emergency department of three general hospitals.Methods. A randomized controlled design was used to assess
the effect of this experimental
condition on referral compliance and on continuation of aftercare treatment.Results. A significant beneficial effect on compliance
with the referral was found in two hospitals
and a near-significant effect in the third. After 3 months of aftercare,
the influence of the
experimental procedure on adherence to therapy was still significant
in two hospitals, but not in the third.Conclusions. Helping the patient to attend an initial
appointment can be achieved by a combination
of practical and organizational arrangements.
Characteristics of HIV-Positive Patients Treated in a Psychiatric Emergency Department
