title: Patterns of use and changes in diagnosis during first admission. National Case Register Study.
abstract: The goal of this study was to describe patterns of diagnosis and to explore the extent to which diagnosis changes during first-in-life psychiatric admissions. All 2,998 first admissions to Israeli psychiatric wards in 1989 were studied. Diagnosis did not change in at least 60% of the cases. Diagnoses in order of stability were: mental retardation (84%), substance abuse (82%), organic conditions (77.5%), neurotic (75%), schizophrenia (74%), personality disorders (73%), affective (68%), childhood (55%), paranoid (45%) and V-codes (22%). There was less change in diagnosis for patients over 45 (37.5%), than for patients aged 19-44 (43.2%) and 15-18 (57.8%). Diagnoses assigned at admission to first hospitalization are not likely to change during that hospitalization.
authors.affiliation: Talbieh Mental Health Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ginath
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rabinowitz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Popper
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mark
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ritsner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012189:Retrospective Studies