Characterization of mental health discharges at J. M. Ramos Mejía General Hospital in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires during the period 2018-2023

Abstract

Introduction: The number of mental health hospitalizations in general hospitals has been rising in Argentina, in the context of the implementation of the National Mental Health Law. Expanding the body of evidence on these hospitalizations is essential for monitoring this ongoing transformation. This study aimed to characterize mental health hospitalizations in a public general hospital in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, where psychiatric admissions occur in wards designated for other medical specialties. To this end, hospital discharge data from 2018 to 2023 were analyzed, focusing on sociodemographic, clinical, and care process variables. Methods: A quantitative approach was employed, using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to explore associations between variables. A total of 412 cases were included in the analysis. Results: The findings show that the highest number of discharges occurred in 2023. The most frequent reasons for admission were psychotic decompensations, followed by suicide attempts. Among patients of non-Argentinian nationality, this order was reversed. Seventy-four percent of hospitalizations lasted fewer than 30 days, while 9% extended to 90 days or more. Longer hospital stays (≥90 days) were associated with being 60 years of age or older, being admitted due to a psychotic episode, having a discharge diagnosis within the F20–F29 category of the ICD-10, and the type of health coverage.