1. Violent or fear-inducing behavior associated with hospital admission.
- Author
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Rossi AM, Jacobs M, Monteleone M, Olsen R, Surber RW, Winkler EL, and Wommack A
- Subjects
- California, Hospital Bed Capacity, 300 to 499, Humans, Mental Disorders psychology, Patient Discharge, Patient Readmission, Psychiatric Department, Hospital, Referral and Consultation, Dangerous Behavior, Fear, Mental Disorders therapy, Patient Admission, Violence
- Abstract
Recent studies indicate that the incidence of violent or fear-inducing behavior among the mentally ill may be higher than once thought. In this study, medical record admission notes for 1,687 psychiatric patients over a four-year period were examined for indications that the patients had engaged in violent or fear-inducing behavior just prior to hospital admission. This and other studies suggest that the frequency of violent or fear-inducing behavior associated with psychiatric admissions may have stabilized in recent years. The authors also found a significantly higher level of hospital readmissions for violent patients than for other patients. As a result, they caution against assuming that the rate of violent behavior among hospital admissions accurately reflects the prevalence of violent behavior among the general population of the mentally ill.
- Published
- 1985
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