Social and living skills of new long-stay hospital patients and new long-term community patients.
OBJECTIVE
The study assessed differences in social behavior skills and everyday living skills in two groups of psychiatric patients: hospital inpatients with stays of between six months and five years (new long-stay patients) and discharged patients who had resided in the community for a similar length of time (new long-term patients).


METHODS
In a cross-sectional study based on a point prevalence survey in an outer London psychiatric hospital, 23 new long-stay and 23 new long-term patients were rated using the Social Behaviour Scale (SBS) and Basic Everyday Living Skills (BELS).


RESULTS
Mean scores on both scales indicated significantly poorer functioning in the new long-stay group. Ratings on the BELS self-care and domestic skills subscales also indicated poorer functioning in that group. No significant differences between groups were found for the subscales measuring community and social relations skills. Significant gender differences emerged in ratings of domestic skills; men's scores indicated more impairment in the new long-stay group than in the new long-term group, while women's scores were comparable between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Developing, enhancing, and maintaining skills among new long-stay patients, especially self-care and domestic skills, may facilitate their discharge into supported community settings.
Sood
S
S
Redbridge Healthcare Trust, Goodmayes Hospital, Essex, United Kingdom.
Baker
M
M
Bledin
K
K
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012919:Social Behavior; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*