Adjustment disorder as an admission diagnosis.
OBJECTIVE
The authors' goal was to study subtyping, demographic variables, suicidality, diagnostic stability, and 2-year rehospitalization outcome for inpatients given the admission diagnosis of adjustment disorder at their institution.


METHODS
They reviewed the charts of 54 adolescent and 102 adult inpatients given the diagnosis of adjustment disorder at admission and compared them with the charts of 156 matched comparison subjects given other admission diagnoses.


RESULTS
Adolescents and adults with adjustment disorder had significantly shorter index hospitalizations and more presenting suicidality than the comparison subjects. Adults but not adolescents with adjustment disorder had significantly fewer psychiatric readmissions and fewer rehospitalization days 2 years after discharge than comparison subjects, and more adults with adjustment disorder had diagnoses of comorbid substance use disorder. Forty percent of the patients admitted with the diagnosis of adjustment disorder were discharged with different diagnoses. Only 18% of the inpatients with adjustment disorder who were rehospitalized were given that diagnosis at readmission.


CONCLUSIONS
Adjustment disorder diagnoses were associated with suicidality, shorter lengths of stay, and, in adults, more substance use disorders and fewer rehospitalizations.
Greenberg
W M
WM
Division of Psychiatry, Bergen Pines County Hospital, Paramus, NJ 07652.
Rosenfeld
D N
DN
Ortega
E A
EA
D000275:Adjustment Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D010343:Patient Admission; D010359:Patient Readmission; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data