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A retrospective cohort study describing admissions to a London Trust's PICU beds over one year: do men and women use PICU differently?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2012

Aileen O'Brien ,
Ben Cramer ,
Michael Rutherford  and
Doreen Attard
Aileen O'Brien*
Affiliation:
Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry, St George's, University of London
Ben Cramer
Affiliation:
Final year medical student, St George's, University of London
Michael Rutherford
Affiliation:
Psychiatry Trainee, South-West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust, London
Doreen Attard
Affiliation:
Psychiatry Trainee, South-West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust, London
*
Correspondence to: Dr Aileen O'Brien, Division of Population Health Sciences and Education, St George's University of London, London SW17 ORE. E-mail: aobrien@sgul.ac.uk
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Abstract

Aims

To describe the characteristics of patients admitted over one year to two psychiatric intensive care units in one large mental health trust. To establish the number of admissions, reasons for admission, incidents on the PICU, bed days and destination after discharge. Differences in gender for these factors were explored. Secondary questions were whether patient factors predicted aggressive incidents or predicted requiring long term care.

Method

The electronic notes for one year of admissions to the PICUs in one trust were examined; sociodemographic and clinical details were recorded. Reasons for admission and incidents on the PICU were coded. Data was analysed to establish significant sociodemographic or clinical differences within the cohort.

Results

Men were much more likely to require PICU but women stayed longer. There was a trend for women to go on to long term secure placement. Aggression and sexually inappropriate behaviour were common but there were no demographic predictors of aggression. The only predictor of requiring long term placement was having been a long time on the PICU.

Conclusion

There is evidence that women and men use the PICU differently, with women staying longer. Further research is needed to see if this is a national trend.

Keywords

Psychiatric intensive careschizophreniagender
Type
Original Research Article
Information
Journal of Psychiatric Intensive Care , Volume 9 , Issue 1 , April 2013 , pp. 33 - 39
Copyright
Copyright © NAPICU 2012

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