title: Short-term diagnostic stability among re-admitted psychiatric in-patients in Eldoret, Kenya.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prospective and retrospective consistency of diagnoses among readmitted psychiatric in-patients at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya.
  
  
  METHODS
  Admission and discharge diagnoses among a consecutive sample of 114 psychiatric in-patients readmitted at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital between August and December 2009 were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The commonest diagnoses at admission were schizophrenia spectrum disorders (47.4%) and bipolar spectrum disorders (30.7%). Overall diagnostic stability as measured by prospective consistency in this study was 72.8%.The most stable diagnostic category was Major Depressive Disorder (100% prospective and retrospective consistency), followed by Bipolar Disorders (91.4% prospective consistency, 69.6% retrospective consistency) and Substance-related disorders (87.5% prospective consistency, 50% retrospective consistency). Schizophrenia-spectrum disorders had a prospective consistency of 75.9% and a retrospective consistency of 87.2%. 'Other Psychotic Disorders' (acute psychotic episode and psychotic disorder not otherwise specified) had the lowest diagnostic stability, with both prospective and retrospective consistency being 0%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mood disorders and substance-related disorders have the highest diagnostic stability among readmitted psychiatric inpatients in a low-income country.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Moi University School of Medicine, Eldoret, Kenya. lukoye@gmail.com
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Atwoli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ndambuki
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Owiti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Manguro
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Omulimi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D007630:Kenya; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data