Readmission Rates in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Affective Disorder-A Retrospective Chart Analysis Study

INTRODUCTION: Readmission rates are found to be an important quality marker of patient care in psychiatric hospitals. Readmission occurs earlier when the duration of the index admission is less. Vasudeva et al 2009 reported that length of initial admission is the only predictor for readmission. Schizophrenia and Bipolar Affective Disorder are the two major primary psychiatric illness that requires multiple hospital admission. AIM: To study the sociodemographic factors and clinical features of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorders who are getting readmitted, and to find out which of these factors can influence the services delivered. OBJECTIVE: 1)To study the relationship between duration of index hospital stay and readmission; 2)To study how medical comorbidities, substance use affects readmission. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart analysis of case records of patients registered at Institute of Mental Health, Chennai diagnosed with Schizophrenia or Bipolar Affective Disorder during January 2018 to June 2018 was done. Those case records having follow up documentation up to a period of three years till August 2021 were chosen. The sociodemographic variables like age, gender, occupation, education and clinical parameters like diagnostic subtype, presence of substance use, duration of index hospital stay in days and number of readmissions collected. The data will be analysed using SPSS-16 software RESULTS: Readmission rates are not influenced by the diagnostic subtype, presence of substance use,comorbid medical conditions and duration of hospital stay. OUTCOME MEASURES: Helps in better understanding of the illness for improvement in healthcare services and future policy making