[Hospitalization of minors at a psychiatric clinic for adults]

The authors analyzed the case-sheets of 45 minors examined and treated in departments for adults at the Psychiatric Clinic, Medical Faculty Comenius University, Bratislava in 1974-1980. The patients comprised 21 girls and 24 boys. Sixty-two case-sheets were analyzed because of repeated hospital admissions. Forty-three hospitalizations concerned adolescents aged 16-17 years. During the last two years of the observation an increase of enforced hospital admissions associated with suicidal attempts and drug dependence was observed. Suicidal attempts occurred in 23.2% of the cases and were demonstrative, affective and seriously meant according to A. E. Licek's classification. All hospital admissions were necessary, frequently urgent and life saving. Hospitalization of adolescents in departments for adults is not an optimal variant of specialized care of youth.