[Predictors of the discharge status in acute day-hospital and inpatient care - a comparison between the two settings within a randomised controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE

To search for predictors of the discharge status in day-hospital patients and inpatients, within a randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of acute psychiatric day hospital treatment as compared to inpatient treatment.

METHOD

The study was conducted at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Dresden University of Technology. Regression analyses assessing the relationship between theoretically chosen predictor variables and the discharge status as measured using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS 4.0) were conducted on a sample of 69 day-hospital patients and a sample of 76 inpatients.

RESULTS

In both settings, admission status was the strongest predictor of discharge status. As concerns day-hospital patients, those suffering from a personality disorder as well as those showing a higher degree of social disability were discharged with a higher level of psychopathological symptoms. Among inpatients, those suffering from an anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, or adjustment disorder as well as those being retired or unemployed benefited less from treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the explorative character of the present study, further prospective studies are needed in order to cross-validate findings on the potential criteria for allocating acute mentally ill either to day-hospital or inpatient treatment.