Related Experiment Videos
Treatment utilization by patients with personality disorders
D S Bender1, R T Dolan, A E Skodol
1Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA. benderd@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu
The American Journal of Psychiatry
|February 7, 2001
Summary
Patients with personality disorders, particularly borderline and schizotypal types, utilize mental health services more extensively than those with major depressive disorder. This highlights the need for better treatment planning for all personality disorders.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Mental Health Services Research
Background:
- Personality disorders (PDs) are complex mental health conditions.
- Understanding treatment utilization patterns is crucial for effective healthcare planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare mental health treatment utilization between patients diagnosed with personality disorders and those with major depressive disorder (MDD) without PDs.
- To identify differences in treatment seeking and receipt across specific PDs.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 664 patients.
- Assessment of diagnosis and treatment history using semistructured interviews.
- Inclusion of four PD groups (schizotypal, borderline, avoidant, obsessive-compulsive) and an MDD comparison group.
Main Results:
- Patients with PDs demonstrated higher utilization of psychiatric outpatient, inpatient, and psychopharmacologic treatments compared to the MDD group.
- Borderline PD patients showed significantly higher use of most psychosocial treatments and specific medications (antianxiety, antidepressant, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics).
- Obsessive-compulsive PD patients utilized individual psychotherapy more, while borderline and schizotypal PD patients had greater antipsychotic medication use.
Conclusions:
- Personality disorders necessitate careful consideration in diagnosis and treatment planning.
- Borderline and schizotypal PDs are linked to extensive mental health resource use.
- Less severe PDs may be undertreated, warranting further investigation into treatment adequacy and appropriateness.