Study of long-stay patients in mental hospitals in Sri Lanka.

A study was made of the long-stay patients at the two mental hospitals in Sri Lanka and a census taken of the total in-patient population. Socio-economic factors contributing to long-stay were high-lighted, and factors to be considered in the rehabilitation and after care of this group discussed. The proportion of patients who became long-stay, and their circumstances, are compared with similar groups in the U.K.