Statistical aspects of psychiatric inpatient care in Japan: Based on a comprehensive nationwide survey of psychiatric hospitals conducted from 1996 to 2012.

Abstract

The aim of this review is to clarify the state of psychiatric admissions and discharges in Japan using statistical data collected from 1996 to 2012. We performed a secondary analysis of nationwide data on psychiatric hospitals, which are collected yearly by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The latest national figures for indices defined in the 'Reform Vision of Mental Health and Welfare' (originally released in 2004) were 70.9% for 'discharge rate for newly admitted patients' and 23.3% for 'discharge rate for long-term patients', which have target rates of ≥76% and ≥29%, respectively. The national discharge rate for newly admitted patients was roughly on the increase, but appeared to reach a plateau in recent years. [Correction added on 17 July 2015, after first online publication: 'on the decline' has been corrected to 'on the increase' in the sentence above.] The national discharge rate for long-term patients was higher in 2012 than in 1999 and appeared to increase throughout the 2000s, although not enough to reach the target. Some improvements in the discharge rate for newly admitted patients indicated some progress in mental health reform, although problems should continue to be addressed in order to reach the targets. As for discharge rates of long-term admissions in local communities, some problems still remain to be solved in order to achieve the goals of the reform vision.