Hospital discharge status and long-term outcome for patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, borderline personality disorder, and unipolar affective disorder

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1988 Apr;45(4):363-8. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1988.01800280079010.

Abstract

The prognosis of self-discharged inpatients has seldom been studied, especially by diagnosis, and is frequently assumed to be poor. This study evaluated the long-term (15-year average) outcome of inpatients discharged with medical advice (WMA), against medical advice (AMA), or by transfer for patients with schizophrenia (N = 113), schizoaffective disorder (N = 46), borderline personality disorder (N = 63), and unipolar affective disorder (N = 33) from a follow-up study. Results showed that outcome among discharge cohorts varied considerably depending on diagnostic category. Within each diagnostic cohort, outcome of transferred patients was poorest. The outcome of AMA-discharged patients was poorer than the outcome of patients discharged with medical advice only in the unipolar cohort, except that AMA discharge in schizoaffective patients correlated significantly with suicide.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Attitude to Health
  • Borderline Personality Disorder / diagnosis*
  • Borderline Personality Disorder / psychology
  • Commitment of Mentally Ill
  • Decision Making
  • Depressive Disorder / diagnosis*
  • Depressive Disorder / psychology
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Hospitalization*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care
  • Patient Dropouts
  • Patient Transfer
  • Personality Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Psychotic Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Psychotic Disorders / psychology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Schizophrenia / diagnosis*
  • Schizophrenic Psychology