title: Child and adolescent psychiatry patients coming of age: a retrospective longitudinal study of inpatient treatment in Tyrol.
abstract: Mental illness is a common phenomenon at all ages. Various independent studies have shown that psychopathology is often expressed on a continuum from youth to adulthood. The aim of our study was to demonstrate a) the frequency of admission of former child and adolescent psychiatry inpatients (CAP-IP) to adult inpatient mental health facilities, and b) a potential longitudinal diagnostic shift. This is the first Austrian study designed to shed light on these issues.
  
  
  
  Nearly 1000 inpatient cases at a specialized child and adolescent care center were analyzed. These cases were then tracked using data matching with registry data from adult psychiatric institutions. Overall, our observational period was 23 years.
  
  
  
  26 % of our sample of former CAP-IP used psychiatric inpatient mental health services as adults, thus indicating chronicity or reoccurrence. In line with previous literature, there were patients who stayed in the same diagnostic category as well as patients with a diagnostic shift from childhood to adulthood.
  
  
  
  Childhood and adolescence is a very important period for early intervention and prevention of mental illness. Our findings support the notion of the continuity of psychopathology from youth into adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Innsbruck, Christoph Probst Platz, Innrain 52, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria. martin.fuchs@i-med.ac.at.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Social Psychiatry, Center of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 52, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kemmler
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305-5101, USA.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, LKH Hall, Milser Str. 10, 6060, Hall in Tirol, Austria.
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marksteiner
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, LKH Hall, Milser Str. 10, 6060, Hall in Tirol, Austria.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haring
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Bezirkskrankenhaus Kufstein, Endach 27, 6330, Kufstein, Austria.
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Social Psychiatry, Center of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 52, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Armand
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hausmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Innsbruck, Christoph Probst Platz, Innrain 52, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sevecke
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000296:Adolescent Psychiatry; D001317:Austria; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescence; Childhood; Diagnostic shift; Epidemiology; Longitudinal course; Mental health