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Service use by elderly patients after psychiatric hospitalization
E K Proctor1, N Morrow-Howell, E Rubin
1Center for Mental Health Services Research, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA. ekp@gwbssw.wustl.edu
Psychiatric Services (Washington, D.C.)
|April 22, 1999
Summary
Older adults discharged from psychiatric hospitals used few services, primarily from mental health, medical, and social care sectors. Most service use addressed mental health needs, despite comorbid conditions and functional impairments.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychiatry
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Older adults often have complex health needs, including comorbid medical conditions and functional impairments.
- Psychiatric hospitalization for older adults can be followed by significant challenges in accessing community-based services.
- Understanding post-discharge service utilization is crucial for improving care continuity and outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the extent and sources of services utilized by older adults after psychiatric hospitalization.
- To identify the patterns of service use across different care sectors in the community.
Main Methods:
- Prospective follow-up study design.
- Structured telephone interviews conducted one month post-discharge.
- Inclusion of older adults with comorbid medical conditions and high functional impairment.
Main Results:
- Overall service utilization was low and highly skewed among the study population.
- Services were distributed across mental health specialty care (38%), general medical care (35%), and social/aging services (27%).
- The majority of service episodes were related to mental disorder management.
Conclusions:
- Older adults discharged from psychiatric care often have unmet service needs.
- Integrated care models addressing mental, medical, and social needs are essential for this population.
- Further research is needed to optimize service delivery and improve functional outcomes for older adults post-psychiatric hospitalization.