title: A retrospective analysis of personality disorder presentations in a Canadian university-affiliated hospital's emergency department.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Individuals with personality disorders often have extensive involvement with healthcare services including frequent utilisation of emergency departments.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with emergency department presentations by individuals with personality disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 12-month retrospective data analysis of all mental-health-related emergency department visits was performed. Age, gender, time and season of presentation, length of stay, mode of arrival and discharge arrangements for individuals with personality disorders were compared to individuals with other psychiatric diagnoses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 336 visits by individuals with personality disorders and 5290 visits by individuals with other psychiatric diagnoses. Individuals with personality disorders were significantly more likely to be female, young adults, brought in by police, arrive in the evening, discharged home and have a longer median length of stay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowing what factors are associated with emergency department presentations by individuals with personality disorders can help ensure that appropriately trained support staff are available.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  None.
  © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2016. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) license.
authors.affiliation: , MD, Department of Psychiatry, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Penfold
authors.affiliation: , PhD, Department of Psychiatry, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Dianne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Groll
authors.affiliation: , BKin, Department of Psychiatry, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Dane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mauer-Vakil
authors.affiliation: , MD, Department of Psychiatry, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pikard
authors.affiliation: , MD, Department of Psychiatry, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: , FRCPsych, FRCPC, DABPN, Department of Psychiatry, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Mir Nadeem
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Mazhar