[Hospitalized patients with chronic mental diseases: review of the literature]

Alternative approaches to manage mental illness have arisen all over the world with emphasis on outpatient community models. Little is said about chronically hospitalized patients. The purpose of this literature review was to access what researchers have proposed in the past decade concerning the work with chronic mentally ill inpatients. The articles found were divided in topics: characteristics of chronic mentally ill inpatients, their opinion about hospitalization and suggestions to improve the practice. As a conclusion, the authors propose a better assessment with serious studies concerning this clientele, their reality and the possibilities of intervention.