Psychiatric rehospitalizations: Clinical, social and demographic determinants in a hospitalof the City of Buenos Aires

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to determine variables associated with multiple rehospitalizations in a women's hospitalization Unit in a Psychiatric Emergency Hospital in the City of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Method: In this an analytical, cross-sectional study 350 patients between 18 and 65 years of age, hospitalized from 2013 to December 2017 in the women's hospitalization room of the Psychiatric Emergency Hospital “Torcuato de Alvear” were included. At the time of discharge, sociodemographic  clinical and discharge conditions data were collected from all patients. Multiple hospitalizations were defined as having had 3 or more prior life-time. For continuous variables, t-test or analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed in cases of normal distribution, and Mann- Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis test in cases of asymmetric distribution. The qualitative variables were analyzed through the chi-square test with continuity correction. The association between variables was evaluated through Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficients as appropriate. Results: The variables associated with multiple rehospitalizations were: the Bipolar Disorder diagnosis, being under treatment at the time of admission, as well as housing precariousness, lack of work and economic autonomy. Conclusion: Representative variables of
social and economic vulnerability were associated with the use of psychiatric inpatient beds. Public policies are needed to interrupt the relationship between poverty and mental pathology.