Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Repeated users of a psychiatric emergency service in a Canadian general hospital

  • Articles
  • Published:
Psychiatric Quarterly Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The authors of this study examine the demographic and clinical characteristics of repeated users of psychiatric emergency room services in a general hospital. 37.8% of all the patients (913) seen during one year had one or more visits to the emergency room in the six months preceding the index emergency room consultation. Repeaters were more likely than non-repeaters to be unmarried, self referred and with a history of previous psychiatric treatment for a chronic psychiatric disorder. Factors affecting frequency of use of psychiatric emergency room services among different diagnostic groups were also studied. These results demonstrated the heterogeneity of the needs of the diverse diagnostic groups who over-utilize costly emergency room services. Our findings showed that in a country with universal health insurance, psychiatric emergency services also tend to reflect the gaps in the delivery of health services in the hospital and the community.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Nurius PS, Emergency psychiatric services: A study of changing utilization patterns and issues.Int J Psychiatry Med 13:239–254, 1983–84.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bassuk EL, Winter R, Apsler R, Cross-cultural comparison of British and American psychiatric emergencies.Am J Psychiatry 140:180–184, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Slaby AE, Perry PL, Use and abuse of psychiatric emergency services.Int J Psychiatry Med 10:1–8, 1980–81.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Pérez EL, Minoletti AH, Blouin AG, Blouin JH, Determinants of hospitalization of psychiatric emergencies in a Canadian general hospital.Am J Soc Psychiat 5:54–59, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Watson GD, Utilization of emergency departments for psychiatric treatment.Can Psychiatric Assoc J 23:143–148, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Suh M, Carlson R, A socio-psychiatric profile of emergency service patients.Can Psychiatric Assoc J 24: 219–223, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Raphling DL, Lion J, Patients with repeated admission to a psychiatric emergency service.Comm Ment Hlth J 6:313–318, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Bassuk E, Gerson S, Chronic crisis patients. A discrete clinical group.Am J Psychiatry 137:1513–1517, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Schwartz DA, Weiss AT, Miner JM, Community psychiatry and emergency service.Am J Psychiatry 129:710–715, 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Munves PI, Trimboli F, North AJ, A study of repeat visits to a psychiatric emergency room.Hosp Comm Psychiatry 34:634–638, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Kirshner MC, Ryglewicz H: The psychiatrically disabled young adult patient: The Rockland County Community Mental Health Centers programmatic response. Presented at the Conference on the young adult chronic patient II, Albany NY, June 3–5, 1981.

  12. Pepper B, Ryglewicz H: An uninstitutionalized generation: psychiatrically disabled young people in the community. Presented at the Conference on the Young Adult Chronic Patient II, Albany NY, June 3–5, 1981.

  13. Bachrach LL, young adult chronic patients: an analytical review of the literature.Hosp Community Psychiatry 33:189–197, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Nie NH, Hull CH, Jenkins JG, Seinbrenner K, Brent D:Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Voineskos G, New chronic patients in the emergency service.Psychiat J Univ Ottawa 10:95–100, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Miller WB, A psychiatric emergency service and some treatment concepts.Am J Psychiatry 124:924–933, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Bauer SF, Balter L, Emergency psychiatric patients in a municipal hospital.Psychia Q 45:382–393, 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Lamb HR, Peele R, The need for continuing asylum and sanctuary.Hosp Community Psychiatry 35:798–802, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Group for the advancement of psychiatry. The chronic mental patient in the community. G.A.P. Publications No. 102, New York, 1978.

  20. Minoletti A, Pérez E, Blouin A, Compliance with referrals from psychiatric emergency services to ambulatory facilities: A 20 year literature review.Am J Soc Psychiatry 4:57–61, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Blouin A, Pérez E, Minoletti A, Compliance to referrals from the psychiatric emergency room.Can J Psychiat 30:103–106, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Bland RC, Long-term mental illness in Canada: an epidemiological perspective on schizophrenia and affective disorders.Can J Psychiatry 29:242–246, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Bachrach LL, Planning services for chronically mentally ill patients.Bull Menninger Clin 47:163–188, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Alberto Minoletti M.D. (F.R.C.P.C., Director)

    Present address: Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Civic Parkdale Clinic, Ottawa Civic Hospital, 737 Parkdale Avenue, K1Y 4E9, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    Edgardo Pérez M.D., M.P.H. (F.R.C.P.C., the Chief), Jane Blouin Ph.D. (Research Associate) & Arthur Blouin Ph.D. C. Psych. (the Director of Research)

  2. School of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Canada

    Edgardo Pérez M.D., M.P.H. (F.R.C.P.C., the Chief), Alberto Minoletti M.D. (F.R.C.P.C., Director), Jane Blouin Ph.D. (Research Associate) & Arthur Blouin Ph.D. C. Psych. (the Director of Research)

  3. Outpatient Department, Ottawa Civic Hospital, Canada

    Alberto Minoletti M.D. (F.R.C.P.C., Director)

  4. Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada

    Arthur Blouin Ph.D. C. Psych. (the Director of Research)

Authors
  1. Edgardo Pérez M.D., M.P.H.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alberto Minoletti M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jane Blouin Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Arthur Blouin Ph.D. C. Psych.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pérez, E., Minoletti, A., Blouin, J. et al. Repeated users of a psychiatric emergency service in a Canadian general hospital. Psych Quart 58, 189–201 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01064733

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01064733

Keywords

Search

Navigation