Disposition of emergency department patients with psychiatric comorbidity: results from the 2004 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.
BACKGROUND
Few emergency department (ED) studies have examined how psychiatric comorbidity relates to hospitalisation decisions.


METHODS
We assessed the relationship of psychiatric comorbidity to hospitalisation decisions among ED patients in the 2004 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.


RESULTS
Patients with psychiatric comorbidity were five times more likely to be hospitalised than patients with a single psychiatric diagnosis. The most frequent psychiatric comorbidities involved substance use disorders (SUDs).


CONCLUSIONS
Psychiatric disorders are underdiagnosed among ED patients. We believe that this underdiagnosis may be partly responsible for the high hospitalisation rates of ED patients with SUDs.
Kunen
S
S
Louisiana State University Emergency Medicine Residency Program, Earl K Long Medical Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, USA. profsk@hotmail.com
Prejean
C
C
Gladney
B
B
Harper
D
D
Mandry
C V
CV
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology