Predictability of rehospitalisation over 5 years for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine the rate of rehospitalisation for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression over a 5-year period in Tasmania, and to identify predictors of the number and duration of readmissions.


METHODS
The Tasmanian Mental Health Register was used to study the 5-year pattern of rehospitalisation for all patients admitted to a Tasmanian public psychiatric inpatient facility with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or depression, in 1983 or 1984.


RESULTS
Seventy-one percent of patients receiving a diagnosis of schizophrenia were readmitted in the 5-year period, compared to 59% for bipolar disorder and 48% for depression. For all three diagnoses, the number of prior admissions was a predictor of the number of readmissions and the total number of days spent in hospital in the follow-up period. Age and sex also had significant effects, which varied across diagnostic groups.


CONCLUSIONS
A substantial proportion of patients hospitalised for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia were rehospitalised during the next 5 years. Patients with more previous admissions had more readmissions than those with fewer previous admissions.
Daniels
B A
BA
Psychiatry, Division of Clinical Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
Kirkby
K C
KC
Hay
D A
DA
Mowry
B J
BJ
Jones
I H
IH
D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D013648:Tasmania / Q000453:epidemiology