Patterns of hospital admission for adult psychiatric illness in England: analysis of Hospital Episode Statistics data.
BACKGROUND
The assessment and reporting of national patterns of psychiatric hospital admissions is important for strategic service development and planning.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate patterns of psychiatric hospital admissions of patients aged 16-64 years in England.


METHODS
We used the Department of Health's national Hospital Episode Statistics data on admissions to National Health Service hospitals in England between April 1999 and March 2000, to investigate patterns by region, gender, age and diagnosis.


RESULTS
The annual admission rate for England was 3.2 per 1000 population. There were marked regional variations and rates were higher in males than in females. Depression and anxiety together were the most common (29.6%) reason for admission. Length of stay exceeded 90 days in 9.2% of admissions and 1 year in 0.9% (highest in London and for psychoses).


CONCLUSIONS
Depression and anxiety together were the most frequent diagnoses leading to hospitalisation. There has been a reversal of the previously reported predominance of female admissions. Regional variations in activity and the significant numbers of patients remaining for long periods in'acute' inpatient care have important policy implications.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Bristol BS6 6JL, UK. andy.thompson@bristol.ac.uk
Andrew
A
Thompson
Mary
M
Shaw
Glynn
G
Harrison
Davidson
D
Ho
David
D
Gunnell
Julia
J
Verne
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D017678:Sex Distribution