In a sample of 1,032 psychiatric inpatients studied for 1 year, chronic
patients (more than 6 months' inpatient stay) represented 17.4%, almost
half of whom were discharged during a 2-year follow-up; an additional 19.4%
died. The incidence of "new" long-stay patients was 8.6/100,000 population,
which, if constant over time, would result in a net increase of long-stay
patients. Most chronic long-stay patients had a diagnosis of schizophrenia
or organic brain syndrome. The two diagnostic groups had strikingly
different patterns of deinstitutionalization. Alcoholic patients and those
with "other" diagnoses demonstrated chronic dependence on the hospital,
characterized by short inpatient stays and high readmission rates.Abstract Teaser