Inpatient psychiatric treatment of deaf adults: demographic and diagnostic comparisons with hearing inpatients.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the diagnostic and clinical features of deaf psychiatric inpatients.


METHODS
Archival clinical data for deaf and hard-of-hearing adults (N=30) were compared with data for a random sample of hearing adults (N=60) admitted to a state psychiatric hospital from 1998 to 2008.


RESULTS
Significant differences were found between deaf and hearing inpatient groups in the frequency of impulse control disorders (23% versus 2%), pervasive developmental disorders (10% versus 0%), substance use disorders (20% versus 45%), mild mental retardation (33% versus 3%), and personality disorders (17% versus 43%). The deaf group had a larger proportion with diagnoses of psychotic disorder not otherwise specified (17% versus 2%). Deaf inpatients had longer hospitalizations than hearing inpatients (17 months versus ten months).


CONCLUSIONS
Clinicians working with the underserved, understudied population of deaf and hard-of-hearing psychiatric inpatients should be aware of the cultural and linguistic differences in assessment and treatment and make efforts to modify their approach.
Landsberger
Sarah A
SA
Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, 1111 W. 10th St., Psychiatry Building, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. slandsbe@iupui.edu
Diaz
David R
DR
D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D054521:Cultural Competency; D003638:Deafness / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012813:Sign Language; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult