A prospective outcome study of patients missing regular psychiatric outpatient appointments.
This paper describes a prospective follow-up study of defaulters of regular psychiatric outpatient appointments in Hong Kong. To establish outcome, 258 patients were traced 6 months after their non-attendance at a follow-up clinic. Results showed that 50% returned while the rest dropped out of treatment. The clinical and demographic variables, including employment, marriage, being seen by faculty rather than resident staff, a past history of default and shorter length of contact at the clinic studied (within a year), were all significant in predicting drop-out. There was a trend for those who reattended to have received a telephone reminder, to be a student and to be single. Out of the 129 drop-out patients, 84 were traced, 23 were admitted to hospital and 5 died. There were no deaths and only 5 patients required hospitalisation among the attenders. We concluded that active reengagement of psychiatric outpatient defaulters is required.
Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong.
A H
AH
Pang
F C
FC
Lum
G S
GS
Ungvari
C K
CK
Wong
Y S
YS
Leung
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies