Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Queen Fabiola Children's University Hospital, Avenue Jean Joseph Crocq 15, 1020 Brussels, Belgium,
Psychiatr Danub. 2021 Sep;33(Suppl 9):55-62.
Transitional age youth (TAY) are a particularly at-risk population in mental health. They have specific needs, not currently covered between child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and adult mental health services (AMHS), mainly because of existing barriers. This retrospective study was carried out to describe sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients who attended a new outpatient program specifically conceived for TAY in Brussels, Belgium. Outcomes related to trajectories of psychiatric care were analysed, such as leading symptom, consultation's referral and requester, and final orientation.
The total sample included 243 patients aged from 16 to 24 years old who presented for care in this outpatient program between October 2019 and May 2021. Data were retrospectively extracted from each patient's electronic medical records.
The sample was mainly composed by female participants; the average age was 18.7 (±2.0) years. General practitioner (18.9%), child and adolescent psychiatrist (18.1%), psychologist (11.5%) and adult psychiatrist (7.4%) referred patients. Leading symptoms were divided into three dimensions: internalizing (67.5%), externalizing (21.8%) and psychotic (10.7%) ones. After first assessment, 81.5% of youth were followed-up in our specific outpatient program. Overall, at the end of data collection, youth were orientated towards ongoing follow-up in this program (37%), AMHS care (21.8%), end of psychiatric care (17.3%) and CAMHS care (4.1%). 19.8% patients discontinued the proposed care.
This psychiatric outpatient program for TAY represents an innovative contribution to reinforce CAMHS-AMHS interface in French-speaking Belgium. The analysis of trajectories in psychiatric care suggests positive outcomes of this TAY-tailored clinical program to achieve high quality standard of care in youth mental health. Future research and clinical implementation programs should further explore which factors influence decision-making process in TAY psychiatric assessment and care.
过渡年龄青年（TAY）是心理健康方面风险特别高的人群。他们有特定的需求，目前不在儿童和青少年心理健康服务（CAMHS）和成人心理健康服务（AMHS）之间涵盖，主要是因为存在障碍。这项回顾性研究旨在描述在比利时布鲁塞尔专门为 TAY 设计的新门诊项目中就诊的患者的社会人口学和临床特征。分析了与精神科护理轨迹相关的结果，例如主要症状、咨询转诊和请求者以及最终方向。
总样本包括 243 名年龄在 16 至 24 岁之间的患者，他们在 2019 年 10 月至 2021 年 5 月期间在该门诊项目中接受了护理。数据从每位患者的电子病历中回顾性提取。
该样本主要由女性参与者组成；平均年龄为 18.7（±2.0）岁。全科医生（18.9%）、儿童和青少年精神病医生（18.1%）、心理学家（11.5%）和成人精神病医生（7.4%）转诊患者。主要症状分为三个维度：内化（67.5%）、外化（21.8%）和精神病（10.7%）。首次评估后，81.5%的年轻人在我们的特定门诊项目中接受了随访。总体而言，在数据收集结束时，年轻人被定向到该项目的持续随访（37%）、AMHS 护理（21.8%）、精神科护理结束（17.3%）和 CAMHS 护理（4.1%）。19.8%的患者停止了所提供的护理。
该 TAY 精神病门诊项目是对加强法语比利时 CAMHS-AMHS 接口的创新贡献。精神科护理轨迹的分析表明，这种针对 TAY 的临床项目取得了积极的成果，为青年心理健康提供了高质量的护理标准。未来的研究和临床实施计划应进一步探讨哪些因素影响 TAY 精神病评估和护理的决策过程。
