New chronic schizophrenic patients: a comparison of daypatients and inpatients

Process of Deinstitutionalization of Aging Individuals With Severe and Disabling Mental Disorders: A Review

BACKGROUND

For more than 60 years, psychiatric services has gradually gone from an asylum model to a community model. This change has led to the emergence of a deinstitutionalization movement. This movement seems to have left behind long-term hospitalized aging individuals with severe and disabling mental disorders. The objective of this article is to conduct a review on the challenges and issues associated with the process of deinstitutionalization among hospitalized aging individuals with severe and disabling mental disorders.

METHODS

Using PRISMA statement, the research methodology was carried out in English and French in 16 databases with a combination of 3 lists of keywords. The selection process was then followed by a thematic analysis which aimed at categorizing by theme and classifying the writings selected.

RESULTS

A total of 83 articles published between 1978 and 2019 were selected and organized into six categories: (a) a forgotten population in research and health policies, (b) an economic presentation of the deinstitutionalization process, (c) an improvement in quality of life and global functioning for deinstitutionalized patients (d) from stigmatization to the rejection of elderly psychiatric inpatients from deinstutionalization process, (e) a difficult community-based care offer and a difficult epistemological identification, (f) from the lack of community services to the phenomenon of transinstitutionalization. The current state of scientific research, institutional policies and clinical practices associated with the deinstitutionalization process of SVPTSIH are then commented.

CONCLUSIONS

Recommendations are proposed to researchers and professionals concerned with the support of long-term hospitalized aging individuals with severe and disabling mental disorders.

Day hospital versus admission for acute psychiatric disorders

BACKGROUND

Inpatient treatment is an expensive way of caring for people with acute psychiatric disorders. It has been proposed that many of those currently treated as inpatients could be cared for in acute psychiatric day hospitals.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of day hospital versus inpatient care for people with acute psychiatric disorders.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group Trials Register (June 2010) which is based on regular searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PsycINFO. We approached trialists to identify unpublished studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials of day hospital versus inpatient care, for people with acute psychiatric disorders. Studies were ineligible if a majority of participants were under 18 or over 65, or had a primary diagnosis of substance abuse or organic brain disorder.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently extracted and cross-checked data. We calculated risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for dichotomous data. We calculated weighted or standardised means for continuous data. Day hospital trials tend to present similar outcomes in slightly different formats, making it difficult to synthesise data. We therefore sought individual patient data so that we could re-analyse outcomes in a common format.

MAIN RESULTS

Ten trials (involving 2685 people) met the inclusion criteria. We obtained individual patient data for four trials (involving 646 people). We found no difference in the number lost to follow-up by one year between day hospital care and inpatient care (5 RCTs, n = 1694, RR 0.94 CI 0.82 to 1.08). There is moderate evidence that the duration of index admission is longer for patients in day hospital care than inpatient care (4 RCTs, n = 1582, WMD 27.47 CI 3.96 to 50.98). There is very low evidence that the duration of day patient care (adjusted days/month) is longer for patients in day hospital care than inpatient care (3 RCTs, n = 265, WMD 2.34 days/month CI 1.97 to 2.70). There is no difference between day hospital care and inpatient care for the being readmitted to in/day patient care after discharge (5 RCTs, n = 667, RR 0.91 CI 0.72 to 1.15). It is likely that there is no difference between day hospital care and inpatient care for being unemployed at the end of the study (1 RCT, n = 179, RR 0.88 CI 0.66 to 1.19), for quality of life (1 RCT, n = 1117, MD 0.01 CI -0.13 to 0.15) or for treatment satisfaction (1 RCT, n = 1117, MD 0.06 CI -0.18 to 0.30).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Caring for people in acute day hospitals is as effective as inpatient care in treating acutely ill psychiatric patients. However, further data are still needed on the cost effectiveness of day hospitals.

Day hospital versus outpatient care for people with schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

This review considers the use of day hospitals as an alternative to outpatient care. Two types of day hospital are covered by the review: 'day treatment programmes' and 'transitional' day hospitals. Day treatment programmes offer more intense treatment for people who have failed to respond to outpatient care. Transitional day hospitals offer time-limited care to people who have just been discharged from inpatient care.

OBJECTIVES

To assess effects of day hospital care as an alternative to continuing outpatient care for people with schizophrenia and and other similar severe mental illness.

SEARCH STRATEGY

We searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group Trials Register (May 2009) and references of all identified studies for further citations. If necessary, we also contacted authors of trials for further information.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials comparing day hospital care with outpatient care for those with schizophrenia and other similar severe mental illness.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We extracted and cross-checked data independently. We analysed dichotomous data using fixed-effect relative risk (RR) and estimated the 95% confidence interval (CI). If continuous data were included, we analysed this data using the random-effects weighted mean difference (MD) with a 95% confidence interval.

MAIN RESULTS

We identified four relevant trials all dating from before 1986 (total n=309 participants); all but one of which (n=37) evaluated day treatment centres. Across time less people allocated to day hospital care tend to be admitted to hospital (beyond one year: n=242, 2 RCTs, RR 0.71 CI 0.56 to 0.89 day treatment centres) but data are heterogeneous (I(2) =74% P=0.05) and should not be taken into account. Data on time spent as an inpatient seem to support this finding but are poorly reported. We found no clear difference between day hospital and outpatient care for the outcome of 'lost to follow up' (at six months: n=147, 3 RCTs, RR 0.97 CI 0.48 to 1.95; at 12 months: n=117, 2 RCTs, RR 0.97 CI 0.48 to 1.95 day treatment centres / transitional day hospital). Scale derived findings on social functioning are equivocal (SAS: n=37, 1 RCT, MD 0.36 CI -0.07 to 0.79 transitional day hospital) but there was some suggestion from small studies that day hospital care may decrease the risk of unemployment (at 12 months: n=80, 1 RCT, RR 0.86 CI 0.69 to 1.06 day treatment centre). Different measures of mental state showed no convincing effect (Symptom Check List: n=30, 1 RCT, MD -90 0.31 CI -0.20 to 0.82 day treatment centre). Poorly reported economic data from decades ago suggested that day hospitals were more costly to establish and run than outpatient care but took no account of other costs such as inpatient stay.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Evidence is limited and dated. Day hospital care may help avoid inpatient care but data are lacking on missing on a raft of outcomes that are now considered important, such as quality of life, satisfaction, healthy days, and cost.

Factors that impede the discharge of long-term schizophrenic inpatients

The aim of the present study was to explore factors that impede the discharge of long-term schizophrenic inpatients, and it was focused on the patients' subjective views. Semi-structured interviews based on the Occupational Self Assessment (OSA) of 73 long-term inpatients with schizophrenia and 24 schizophrenic patients who had been discharged from hospitals after a long-term stay were conducted. Logistic regression analysis was performed. The results revealed that the factors that impeded the discharge of schizophrenic patients from hospitals were advanced age, severe mental symptoms, and higher rating of one's own capabilities in daily living. These results suggest that schizophrenic long-term inpatients require occupational interventions that help patients to have a realistic image of their daily life after discharge and that invite them to update their self-assessments of competence related to the skills needed for daily life.

[One-year follow-up and mobility assessment of schizophrenic patients in the Liege psychiatric care network]

OBJECTIVE

The study was aimed at assessing the clinical evolution and mobility of schizophrenic patients within the healthcare network of the Psychiatric Platform of Liege (Belgium) after a one-year follow-up period.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study material consisted of a random sample of 184 patients with schizophrenia drawn from the population of schizophrenic patients treated in the Liege psychiatric care network. The characteristics of these patients have been described previously (18). The 184 patients were followed-up for one-year and reassessed at the end of this period. Mobility (ie, changes between psychiatric care institutions, including home) was recorded for each patient within the institutional network. The diagnosis of schizophrenia was based on the DSM IV. Demographic, social and global functioning (GAF scale) data were collected from the "Résumé psychiatrique Minimum (RPM)", a clinical summary which has been imposed by the Belgian Ministry of Public Health for each psychiatric hospital stay. Symptom components were derived from the Psychosis Evaluation tool for Common Use by Caregivers (PECC).

RESULTS

Among the 184 patients enrolled in the initial analysis, 6 refused to participate in the follow-up study. The 178 remaining schizophrenic patients included 131 men (74%) and 47 women (26%) with a mean age of 43.1 +/- 13.6 and 48.8 +/- 14.9 years, respectively (p<0.05). The majority of patients (53%) suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. At baseline, 63% of the patients were hospitalised full-time, 6% part-time and 31% received ambulatory care. During the one-year follow-up period, 4 patients died, including one from suicide. When considering mobility, 48% of the patients experienced at least one change of institution, whereas 52% of the patients didn't change at all (see figure 1). The total number of changes over the 1-year period amounted 189, yielding a mean value of 1.1 changes per patient per year. Changes mostly occurred between institutions of similar care setting (see figure 2). Transfers (30%) were also observed directly between hospital and home. A multivariate Poisson regression analysis showed that the number of changes was unrelated to gender and initial care setting but decreased with age (p<0.0001). It was also higher for patients with schizo-affective disorders (2.5 +/- 1.9, p<0.01) or with residual type (1.2 +/- 1.8; p<0.05) than for patients with other types of schizophrenia (ranging from 0.3 +/- 0.5 to 0.9 +/- 1.4). No association was found with initial GAF or PECC, except for negative symptoms (p<0.05). After one year, despite the high proportion of institutional changes (48% of the patients), the distribution of the patients according to care setting remained the same (p=0.77). However, GAF scores significantly improved from 39.7 +/- 16.1 to 44.4 +/- 16.1 (p<0.0001) and likewise for total PECC scores (70 +/- 19.1 vs 63.2 +/- 19.4, p<0.001). Excitatory and disease perception items of the PECC remained unchanged.

CONCLUSION

The present study reveals that mobility within the institutional network did affect about half of the schizophrenic patients. Mobility was related to age, type of schizophrenia and disease evolution. Changes occur mainly between psychiatric structures of similar care setting but also directly from hospital to home without passing through an intermediate care structure. Further efforts should be made to provide schizophrenic patients with a more coordinated care provision throughout the course of their disease.

Day hospital versus admission for acute psychiatric disorders

BACKGROUND

Inpatient treatment is an expensive way of caring for people with acute psychiatric disorders. It has been proposed that many of those currently treated as inpatients could be cared for in acute psychiatric day hospitals.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of day hospital versus inpatient care for people with acute psychiatric disorders.

SEARCH STRATEGY

We searched the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (Cochrane Library, issue 4, 2000), MEDLINE (January 1966 to December 2000), EMBASE (1980 to December 2000), CINAHL (1982 to December 2000), PsycLIT (1966 to December 2000), and the reference lists of articles. We approached trialists to identify unpublished studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials of day hospital versus inpatient care, for people with acute psychiatric disorders. Studies were ineligible if a majority of participants were under 18 or over 65, or had a primary diagnosis of substance abuse or organic brain disorder.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Data were extracted independently by two reviewers and cross-checked. Relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for dichotomous data. Weighted or standardised means were calculated for continuous data. Day hospital trials tend to present similar outcomes in slightly different formats, making it difficult to synthesise data. Individual patient data were therefore sought so that outcomes could be reanalysed in a common format.

MAIN RESULTS

Nine trials (involving 1568 people) met the inclusion criteria. Individual patient data were obtained for four trials (involving 594 people). Combined data suggested that, at the most pessimistic estimate, day hospital treatment was feasible for 23% (n=2268, CI 21 to 25) of those currently admitted to inpatient care. Individual patient data from three trials showed no difference in number of days in hospital between day hospital patients and controls (n=465, 3 RCTs, WMD -0.38 days/month CI -1.32 to 0.55). However, compared to controls, people randomised to day hospital care spent significantly more days in day hospital care (n=265, 3 RCTs, WMD 2.34 days/month CI 1.97 to 2.70) and significantly fewer days in inpatient care (n=265, 3 RCTs, WMD -2.75 days/month CI -3.63 to -1.87). There was no significant difference in readmission rates between day hospital patients and controls (n=667, 5 RCTs, RR 0.91 CI 0.72 to 1.15). For patients judged suitable for day hospital care, individual patient data from three trials showed a significant time-treatment interaction, indicating a more rapid improvement in mental state (n=407, Chi-squared 9.66, p=0.002), but not social functioning (n=295, Chi-squared 0.006, p=0.941) amongst patients treated in the day hospital. Four of five trials found that day hospital care was cheaper than inpatient care (with cost reductions ranging from 20.9 to 36.9%).

REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS

Caring for people in acute day hospitals can achieve substantial reductions in the numbers of people needing inpatient care, whilst improving patient outcome.

Day hospital versus out-patient care for psychiatric disorders

BACKGROUND

This review considers the use of day hospitals as an alternative to out-patient care. Three types of day hospital are covered by the review: 'day treatment programmes', 'day care centres' and 'transitional' day hospitals. Day treatment programmes offer more intense treatment for patients who have failed to respond to out-patient care (usually patients with affective or personality disorders). Day care centres offer structured support to patients with long-term severe mental disorders (mainly schizophrenia), who would otherwise be treated in the out-patient clinic. Transitional day hospitals offer time-limited care to patients who have just been discharged from in-patient care.

OBJECTIVES

The review had three objectives. First, to assess the effectiveness of day treatment programmes versus out-patient care for people with treatment-refractory disorders. Second, to assess the effectiveness of day care centres versus out-patient care for people with severe long term disorders. Third, to assess the effectiveness of transitional day hospital care for people who had just been discharged from hospital.

SEARCH STRATEGY

We searched the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (Cochrane Library, issue 4, 2000), MEDLINE (January 1966 to December 2000), EMBASE (1980 to December 2000), CINAHL (1982 to December 2000), Psyc LIT (1966 to December 2000), and the reference lists of articles. Researchers were approached to identify unpublished studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials comparing day hospital care (including day treatment programme, day care centre, and transitional day hospital) against out-patient care. Studies were ineligible if a majority of participants were under 18 or over 65, or who had a primary diagnosis of substance abuse or organic brain disorder.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Data were extracted independently by two reviewers and cross-checked. Relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for dichotomous data. Weighted or standardised means were calculated for continuous data.

MAIN RESULTS

There was evidence from one trial suggesting that day treatment programmes were superior to continuing out-patient care in terms of improving psychiatric symptoms. There was no evidence that day treatment programmes were better or worse than out-patient care on any other clinical or social outcome variable, or on costs. There was no evidence that day care centres were better or worse than out-patient care on any clinical or social outcome variable. There were some inconclusive data on costs suggesting that day care centres might be more expensive than out-patient care. There was evidence from one trial suggesting that transitional day hospital care was superior to out-patient care in keeping patients engaged in treatment, however there was insufficient evidence to judge whether it was better or worse on any other clinical or social outcome variable, or on costs.

REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS

There is only limited evidence to justify the provision of day treatment programmes and transitional day hospital care, and no evidence to support the provision of day care centres.

Speaking behavior and voice sound characteristics associated with negative schizophrenia

Based on a sample of 42 chronic schizophrenic patients and 42 carefully matched controls, we investigated potential relationships between acoustic variables on the one hand, and negative syndromes, positive syndromes and affective disturbances, on the other. A set of 12 acoustic variables automatically assessed in a standardized experimental setting allowed an almost perfect discrimination between schizophrenic patients and normal subjects. Acute side-effects of medication did not explain this finding. However, the question of whether the observed changes in speaking behavior and voice sound characteristics were caused by long-term neuroleptic treatment, for example, as a consequence of tardive dyskinesia, could not be answered by our investigation. In view of a biological validation of the negative-positive model of schizophrenia, the reliability of various psychopathological subscales was tested through repeated assessments at 14 day intervals. We found most psychopathology scores to be sufficiently stable and reproducible over time, thus representing a suitable basis for the estimation of severity with respect to the negative and positive component of schizophrenia. Using the first measurements as training samples and the second measurements of 14 days later as test samples, discriminant analysis yielded conclusive proof of a close relationship between acoustic variables and the severity of the negative and positive component of schizophrenia. In particular, by means of "objective" acoustic variables and under the constraint of reproducibility, 75.9% of patients were correctly classified as low or high scorers with respect to the negative syndrome, 71.9% of patients with respect to the positive syndrome, and 79.4% of patients with respect to their depressive symptomatology.

The dilemmas of chronicity: the transition of care policies from the authoritarian state to the welfare state in Spain

In this article, the constitution of the population of chronic mental patients is examined for the period 1885 to 1975 as well as its influence on the design of reform programmes in the crisis of the Franco-ist state. Then follows an assessment of state reforms and regional policies with effect from 1980. Reference is made to the theoretical models utilised in this last period and to the tension and contradictions between professionals of bio-medical orientation and sectors sympathetic to community models sustained from the perspective of social psychiatry.

Community care for patients with schizophrenia one year after hospital discharge

OBJECTIVES

To document the circumstances and care of patients with schizophrenia who had recently been discharged from local psychiatric inpatient services, and to establish the extent to which misgivings about community care might be justified.

DESIGN

Cross sectional surveys with review of case notes. Follow up interviews with questionnaires administered one year after discharge.

SETTING

Two inner London districts (West Lambeth and Lewisham) with high levels of social deprivation and at different stages of developing community services.

PATIENTS

90 and 50 patients in the two services respectively, aged 18 to 65, who satisfied the Research Diagnostic Criteria for schizophrenia and who were discharged from inpatient services.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Diagnosis elicited by present state examination, global social disability rating, use of services during the three months before interview.

RESULTS

89 of the 140 patients (64%) had been ill for five or more years, yet few were former long stay inpatients. 55% (50/91; 95% confidence interval 45% to 65%) of those interviewed had current psychotic mental states and 22% (27/124; 16% to 31%) were functioning socially at very poor or severely maladjusted levels. 86% (107/124) were unemployed. The majority of patients had seen a mental health or social service professional, yet only 16% (20/124) were in specialised accomodation (excluding hospitals) and only 23% (17/73) of those eligible had used day care. Small numbers of people had experienced homelessness (two) or imprisonment (four over six months).

CONCLUSIONS

Many schizophrenic patients leaving local psychiatric inpatient care have active symptomatology and profound social disabilities. Community care was characterised by high rates of contact with service professionals but little supported accommodation or day activity. This group of clients may require dedicated provision, which would actively encourage them to use services protected from the demands of those with less severe illness.