Repeated use of psychiatric emergency services by children. |
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Authors: | W Cole A Turgay G Mouldey |
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Institution: | University of Ottawa, Ontario. |
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Abstract: | In this study, the repeat utilization of child psychiatric emergency services was examined. There are patients who use psychiatric emergency services repeatedly, and these patients represent a significant proportion of child psychiatric emergencies seen in emergency rooms. Repeat patients were more likely to threaten to harm others, have a diagnosis of adjustment disorder, conduct or oppositional disorder and be under the care of a child welfare agency. They were significantly more likely than the one-time patients to be less compliant with outpatient follow-up, admitted to hospital more often, needed more social support and had greater difficulty remaining in a residential treatment setting. Intervention in the emergency room did not appear to change the way they used emergency services. |
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