Readmission of psychiatric patients in India: sociodemographic factors

Abstract

Readmission is a complex and common phenomenon. This study intends to analyse the sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with readmission and also compare it with similar study done at same institute in India 25 years earlier. A medical records review for all admissions in an adult psychiatry unit of a specialised hospital in southern India was done for the period from July 2010 to June 2011. Patients' sociodemographic characteristics and clinical details were recorded and statistical tests like chi-square test and logistic regression were applied. These data and results were also compared to a similar study done at the same centre 25 years earlier. Of all the admissions during the study period, 27.2% were readmissions. Female sex, income below the poverty level and higher education were predictive of readmission. In comparison with readmitted group of the earlier study, there was a significant difference with regards to age, education, marital status and duration of hospital stay in the current...