The Effectiveness of Day Hospitals in the Personal Recovery of Mental Disorder Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, a new recovery model has gained ground in which recovery is understood as a process of change where individuals are able to improve their health and wellbeing, lead self-sufficient lives and strive to achieve their maximum potential (personal recovery). Despite the existence of data regarding the effectiveness of mental health day hospitals (MHDHs) in reducing relapses in terms of hospital admissions and emergencies, no studies have to date assessed how this change affected the new personal recovery model.

OBJECTIVES

To verify the effectiveness of MHDHs in improving personal recovery processes among people with mental disorders (MDs).

METHODS

A prospective cohort study. A group of patients receiving follow-up at MHDHs was compared with another group of patients receiving follow-up in other therapeutic units over a period of three months.

RESULTS

Patient recovery at the MHDHs, assessed using the Individual Recovery Outcomes Counter (I.ROC), was found to be significantly better than that of patients attended in other units.

CONCLUSIONS

MHDHs can contribute to the recovery of people with MDs. This is particularly important at a time when some patients may have experienced impediments to their recovery processes due to the pandemic.