title: Admission to women's crisis houses or to psychiatric wards: women's pathways to admission.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study compared the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and pathways to admission for women admitted to women's crisis houses and to psychiatric hospitals. A women's crisis house is a residential mental health crisis facility for women who would otherwise be considered for voluntary hospital admission.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey of all 388 female admissions to women's crisis houses and psychiatric hospitals in four boroughs of London during a 12-week period in 2006 was conducted with questionnaires administered to key workers involved in the admissions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pathways to admission were significantly less complex for women admitted to the crisis houses (fewer preadmission contacts with police, emergency departments, and other services). Women admitted to psychiatric wards were more likely to require supervision or observation. A multivariate analysis of data for the 245 voluntary admissions indicated that women admitted to women's crisis houses were significantly less likely to have a care coordinator (odds ratio [OR]=.528) or to have gone to an accident and emergency department (OR=.214) before admission. No other differences were found between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pathways to admission were somewhat different for women admitted to women's crisis houses, but few clinical or sociodemographic differences were found between the two groups. Women's crisis houses may be a viable alternative to traditional wards for voluntary patients not needing intensive supervision and observation. Research should examine whether women's crisis houses are as effective as traditional inpatient services in treating women with acute psychiatric problems.
authors.affiliation: Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, P.O. 29, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom. l.howard@iop.kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Louise M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rigon
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lawlor
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008605:Mental Health Services; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires