Ambulatory sensitive hospitalisations among people accessing mental health and addiction services: a retrospective...

Ambulatory sensitive hospitalisations (ASHs) are hospital admissions for conditions potentially avoidable through timely and effective primary healthcare. ASH rates can indicate healthcare quality and access. This study examines ASH rates among people accessing mental health and addiction (MHA) services in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Retrospective analyses of national MHA service use linked to hospital admission records, compared to total population between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2018, were conducted. The MHA cohort includes people aged 45-64 with at least one MHA service contact during the study period or 2 years prior.

MHA service users were most commonly hospitalised for angina (26.0%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; 11.6%). Adjusting for age and ethnicity, the MHA cohort's ASH rate was 2.38 times that of the total population, with higher rates for epilepsy (adjusted rate ratio [ARR]=5.96), COPD (ARR=4.32), diabetes (ARR=3.47) and angina (ARR=2.40).

Findings indicate potentially preventable physical health disparities within and between people accessing MHA services, highlighting the need to improve primary care access. Practice implications include integrated care, prevention and workforce development to reduce ASH and health disparities for people using MHA services.