A Profile of Psychiatric In-Patient Admissions With No Fixed Abode (NFA) 2007-2016

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Public Health
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Individuals with no fixed abode (NFA) represent a vulnerable population with complex healthcare needs.
• Understanding the patterns of psychiatric admissions for this demographic is crucial for effective service provision.
• Existing literature describes the 'chronically homeless' population with specific demographic and diagnostic characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in psychiatric in-patient admissions for individuals recorded as no fixed abode (NFA) over a ten-year period.
• To describe the demographic and diagnostic characteristics of this patient cohort.
• To inform policy and practice regarding the healthcare needs of homeless individuals within psychiatric facilities.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the National Psychiatric In-Patient Reporting System (NPIRS) for admissions between 2007 and 2016.
• Analyzed a total of 2,176 admissions for patients with NFA recorded.
• Employed SPSS software for statistical analysis to identify trends and characteristics.

Main Results:

• A 44% increase in NFA admissions was observed from 2007 (188 admissions) to 2016 (271 admissions).
• The cohort remained consistent: predominantly male (73.4%), under 45 years old (75.2%), single (75.5%), and unemployed (75.4%).
• The most common diagnoses were schizophrenia (28.5%) and drug/alcohol disorders (27.1%).

Conclusions:

• Routinely collected data are essential for understanding and addressing the needs of specific homeless sub-groups.
• The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions for homeless individuals within psychiatric in-patient facilities.
• Urgent implementation of an individual health identifier is recommended to improve data linkage and service planning for this population.