title: Factors associated with frequent psychiatric admissions in a general hospital in Spain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify demographic or clinical factors associated with frequent admissions in a sample of patients admitted to an acute psychiatric hospitalization unit, controlling for potentially confounding factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Socio-demographic variables, diagnosis, and the legal status, date and length of admission were collected for 1,722 consecutively admitted psychiatric patients during a period of up to eight years (1998-2005). Frequently admitted patients were defined as undergoing one or more admissions per year on average.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After controlling for potential confounding factors, logistic regression showed that being a frequently admitted patient was significantly associated with diagnoses of schizoaffective disorder, personality disorder or schizophrenia; an involuntary commitment at first admission; and younger age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Factors associated with frequently admitted patients should be identified in order to establish more effective strategies for preventing relapse.
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, University of Granada, Spain. jmmartinezortega@ugr.es
authors: José M
authors: JM
authors: Martínez-Ortega
authors: Luis
authors: L
authors: Gutiérrez-Rojas
authors: Dolores
authors: D
authors: Jurado
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Higueras
authors: Francisco J
authors: FJ
authors: Diaz
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Gurpegui
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology