[Homeless men in inpatient psychiatric treatment--a controlled study. 2: Effects of treatment].
OBJECTIVE
This study examines the objective and the subjectively reported state of health in a regional representative sample of homeless men (n = 50) at time of admission into a psychiatric hospital and shortly before discharge and compares the results with a control group (matched by diagnosis) of non-homeless men.


METHODS
The BPRS and the SF-12 Health survey were administered. The main psychiatric diagnosis (ICD-10) were alcohol or drug addiction (84%), schizophrenic disorders (14%) and personality disorders (2%).


RESULTS
The median of hospitalisation was 26 days with no significant differences between the two groups. At discharge outpatient treatment was planned for only 16% of the homeless patients but for 40% of the controls. There was a significant improvement in symptoms and self reported state of health. On admission and discharge thought disturbance and a positive self-rating of mental health were significantly correlated.


CONCLUSIONS
Against the wide-spread clinical prejudice that inpatient treatment of homeless mentally ill men is not effective our results show that the objective state of health as well as the self-perceived mental and physical health was improved by a regular psychiatric in-patient treatment. The results furthermore indicate the limitations of inpatient treatment the need for outpatient treatment programmes.
Lowens
S
S
Westfälische Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Münster.
Kellinghaus
C
C
Eikelmann
B
B
Reker
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005858:Germany; D006304:Health Status; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000523:psychology*; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012647:Self-Assessment; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome