[Therapeutic community model in short psychiatric hospitalization. Descriptive study on the dynamic psychiatric inpatient unit of the Italian hospital of Buenos Aires].
OBJECTIVE
the aim of this paper is to communicate a project of short term psychiatric hospitalization, based on a therapeutic community model, considering qualitative and quantitative aspects in the present socio - cultural context.


BACKGROUND
this psychiatric hospitalization model that embraces psychodynamic and pharmacological interventions is focused in the intensity of interactions between members of the therapeutic community and integrated to the administrative structure of a general hospital; this will be the key to consider patient's return to the community and to move forward over the prejudices that inpatients suffer.


METHODS
quantitative, prospective, observational and transversal study on a Dynamic Psychiatric Inpatient Unit. 605 patients were included.


RESULTS
mean length of stay was 16.34 days; principal causes of admission were depression (19.4%), suicide ideas (17.7%), suicide attempt (17.6%), substance abuse or dependence (14.3%), psychosis (13.8%), behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (6%). There were 75 readmissions. 14.88% patients were physically restrained. Principal Axis I diagnosis were depression (32.1%), substance dependence (13.2%), bipolar disorder (10.2%), dementia (7.6%), schizophrenia (7.5%), and psychotic disorder (5.8). Axis II diagnosis were borderline personality disorder (27.3%), narcissistic personality disorder (8.9%), histrionic personality disorder (5.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
this kind of approach shows a structural model that allows possible and persistent favorable changes for psychiatric inpatients.
Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Argentina. dmatusevich@ciudad.com.ar
Daniel
D
Matusevich
Martín
M
Ruiz
María
M
Vairo
Paula
P
Girard
Gustavo
G
Rozadilla
Guido
G
Castagnola
Alfredo
A
Job
Inés
I
Pinto
Carlos
C
Finkelsztein
D001118:Argentina; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006757:Hospital Units; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*