scholarly journals Psychiatric emergency service users at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town

2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Don AB Wilson ◽  
Alan J Flisher ◽  
Mark Welman

Objective. To document and compare the characteristics of patients assessed at a psychiatric emergency service (PES) during April and May of 1988 and 1998.Design. Two cross-sectional surveys.Setting. Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH), Cape Town.Subjects. Patients assessed at the PES, GSH.Outcome measures. These were occupational status, referral source, distance travelled to get to the hospital, and diagnosis.Results. Nine hundred and twenty-five patients made 1 081 visits to the unit during a 2-month period in 1988, while during a similar period in 1998, 364 patients made 477 visits. In the latter period the patients were significantly more likely to be skilled workers or students/scholars, to be referred from within GSH or other health facilities, to have travelled less than 10 km to get to the hospital, and to be suffering from a mood disorder or suicidality (and less likely to be suffering from a substance use disorder).Conclusions. The differences between the two time periods indicate that changes in policy during the period 1988 - 1998 may have impacted on the patient profile at the PES at GSH. It is important to document such changes with a view to informing service planning for both tertiary referral centres and other levels of care.

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
J. Cerejeira ◽  
H. Firmino ◽  
I. Boto ◽  
H. Rita ◽  
G. Santos ◽  
...  

Aim:The Psychiatric Emergency Service (PES) is an important part of the mental health care system for the management of acute conditions requiring prompt intervention representing also a significant part of workload of specialists and trainees. The objective of this study was to characterize the clinical features of patients observed in PES of Coimbra University Hospitals.Method:During the first 6 months of 2008, demographic and clinical data were obtained for all patients observed by the first author of the study, together with a specialist in Psychiatry.Results:The sample consisted of 159 patients, 103 females and 56 males. Mean age was 45,9 ± 18,367 years. The majority of patients presented in the emergency room either alone (56,6%) or with a first degree relative (34,6%) by self-initiative and having a past psychiatric history (71,1%). Disturbing mood symptoms (depression, anxiety or both) were the motive of assessment in 58% of patients but several other causes were reported including behavioural symptoms, agitation, psychosis, drug or alcohol related disorders, sleep and cognitive disorders. Average Clinical Global Impression was 4,12 ± 1,177. After the psychiatric assessment, several diagnosis were made namely Major Depressive Episode (14,5%), Adaptation Disorders (13,9%), Schizophrenia and related disorders (13,8%), Anxiety Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (11,9%) and Drug or Alcohol related disorders (8,2%). Most patients were discharged without referral (50,3%).Conclusion:A significant percentage of patients went to the PES for conditions that could have been treated by a primary care physician or in an outpatient clinic setting.


Crisis ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 375-382
Author(s):  
Remco F. P. de Winter ◽  
Mirjam C. Hazewinkel ◽  
Roland van de Sande ◽  
Derek P. de Beurs ◽  
Marieke H. de Groot

Abstract. Background: Outreach psychiatric emergency services play an important role in all stages of a suicidal crisis; however, empirical assessment data are scarce. This study describes characteristics of patients assessed by these services and involved in suicidal crises. Method: During a 5-year period, detailed information from psychiatric emergency service assessments was recorded; 14,705 assessments were included. Characteristics of patients with/without suicidal behavior and with/without suicide attempts were compared. Outcomes were adjusted for clustering of features within individual patients. Results: Suicidal behavior was assessed in 32.2% of patients, of whom 9.2% attempted suicide. Suicidal behavior was most commonly associated with depression or adjustment disorder and these patients were referred to the service by a general practitioner or a general hospital, whereas those who attempted suicide were less likely to be referred by a general practitioner. Those who attempted suicide were more likely to be female and have had a referral by a general hospital. Self-poisoning by medication was the most common method of attempting suicide. Limitations: Bias could be due to missed or incomplete assessments. Primary diagnoses were based on clinical observation at the time of the assessment or on the primary diagnosis previously recorded. In addition, suicidal behavior or attempted suicide might have been underestimated. Conclusions: Suicidal behavior is commonplace in assessments by psychiatric emergency services. Suicidal patients with/without a suicide attempt differed with respect to demographic features, primary diagnoses, and referring entities, but not with respect to treatment policy. About 40% of the suicidal patients with/without an attempt were admitted following assessment.


1991 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joachim Knop ◽  
Ulf Søgaard ◽  
Anne Stub Sørensen ◽  
Vilhelm Schultz ◽  
Ellen Hasselbalch ◽  
...  

1986 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
James M. Ellison ◽  
Nancy Blum ◽  
Arthur J. Barsky

2005 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
pp. 303-304
Author(s):  
Yves Chaput ◽  
Marie Josée Lebel ◽  
Edith Labonté ◽  
Lucie Beaulieu

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