Factors influencing effectiveness of day hospital treatment.

One hundred consecutive admissions to a Psychiatric Day Hospital were studied. Outcome was assessed in terms of regularity and duration of Day Hospital attendance, transfer to inpatient care, and return to employment of unemployed patients. None of these outcome measures showed significant differences when groups of patients were compared according to age, sex or diagnosis. Similarly, no differences were found when patients living alone were compared with patients living with families, between employed and unemployed patients, between patients referred from in-patient care and those referred from out-patients, or when patients were compared according to their preferred types of Day Hospital activity.