A Study on First Intake Assessments of In-patient Referrals to Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric rehabilitation is an important component in mental health services. The rehabilitation needs of patients with mental illness have been highlighted in various studies. The studies on in-patient referrals to rehabilitation services however are sparse. This study describes the clinical and demographic details and the reasons for referrals to rehabilitation services during the in-patients stay. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A semi-structured pro forma was used for the assessment of in-patients referred for the psychiatric rehabilitation services. The pro forma included socio-demographic details such as background, family resources, illness related details such as symptom status, risk assessment, medication details. The total number of referrals for a period of 5 months was collected and coded. RESULTS: The total number of referrals for a period of 5 months was 216 and there were 197 forms available for the study. The mean age of the sample was 31.48 ± 10.46 years. Vocational rehabilitation was the commonest reason for referral to the in-patient services. Severe mental disorders were the most common diagnosis of patients refereed to the services. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with severe mental illness were most often referred to the in-patient services. This indicates that we need include to rehabilitation in the management plan at the earliest. Vocational rehabilitation is the most common reason for referrals and there is a need to develop services to cater to these needs.