Long-term outcomes of short-term and long-term psychosomatic inpatient treatment and their predictors.
OBJECTIVE
The Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at the University Giessen, Germany, offers short-term (STT) and long-term inpatient therapy (LTT).


METHODS
In a prospective, 3-year follow-up study, we examined therapeutic indication, short- and long-term results, outcome predictors, and the utilization of aftercare for both settings.


RESULTS
STT patients were more frequently acutely ill, suffered from stronger symptomatic manifestations, and were more frequently employed. LTT patients had a greater rate of chronic psychosomatic disorders, personality disorders and somatic comorbidity. In both settings, distress strongly declined during inpatient therapy and remained stable for 3 years. Negative predictors of outcome were infantile object relation patterns and interpersonal problems. We found no differences between STT and LTT patients in terms of the utilization of aftercare.


CONCLUSIONS
Duration of psychosomatic inpatient treatment should be differentiated according to the chronicity and nature of the disorder.
Schaefer
Anke
A
Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, Klinikum der Johannes Guterberg-Universität Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Strasse 8, Mainz, Germany. anke.schaefer@chello.at
Gieler
Uwe
U
Kurth
Regina
R
Brosig
Burkhard
B
Leweke
Frank
F
Milch
Wolfgang E
WE
Reimer
Christian
C
Beutel
Manfred E
ME
D000328:Adult; D000359:Aftercare; D003710:Demography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome