[Deinstitutionalization of long-stay psychiatric patients in upper austria - living situation, social and clinical characteristics more than one year after discharge].
OBJECTIVE
In Upper Austria, a total of 409 long-stay patients were discharged to various residential facilities between 1995 and 2000. This paper describes psychopathology and sociodemographic characteristics.


METHODS
A random sample of 116 former long-stay patients were followed for an average 42.9 months after discharge.


RESULTS
Patients had spent an average 19.3 years in psychiatric wards. 47 patients (40.5 %) were placed in nursing homes, 16 patients (13.8 %) in old-age homes, 32 patients (27.6 %) in other institutions and only 15 patients (12.9 %) in group homes, and 6 patients (5.2 %) with families. ICD-10 diagnosis was schizophrenia in 56 patients (48.3 %) and mental retardation in 33 patients (28.4 %). Level of social and functional disabilities was high.


CONCLUSIONS
Most long-stay patients were able to live outside psychiatric hospitals, but institutional care still plays an essential role.
Haberfellner
Egon Michael
EM
Rehabilitationszentrum für psychosoziale Gesundheit, Pro Mente Oberösterreich. haberfellnerem@promenteooe.at
Grausgruber
Alfred
A
Grausgruber-Berner
Rosemarie
R
Ortmair
Margarethe
M
Schöny
Werner
W
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001317:Austria; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003688:Deinstitutionalization / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D016352:Group Homes / Q000639:trends; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000639:trends; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000639:trends*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000639:trends; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000639:trends*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors