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Hospitalization time is associated with weight gain in forensic mental health patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

A.L. Pedersen*
Affiliation:
University of Southern Denmark, Forensic Mental Health Research Unit, Middelfart, Denmark
F. Gildberg
Affiliation:
University of Southern Denmark, Forensic Mental Health Research Unit, Middelfart, Denmark
P. Hjorth
Affiliation:
Region of Southern Denmark, Department Of Psychiatry Vejle, Vejle, Denmark
M. Højlund
Affiliation:
University of Southern Denmark, Institute Of Public Health, Odense, Denmark
K. Andersen
Affiliation:
Region of Southern Denmark, Department Of Mental Health Odense, odense, Denmark
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Previous studies have found substantial weight gains in forensic mental health patients (FMHP) during hospitalisation. However, previous studies have not compared in- and outpatients, thus the weight change could be a general change over time. Research on the association between proportional hospitalization time (PHT) and weight change is lacking.

Objectives

To investigate the association between time hospitalized and weight change among FMHP.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study including FMHP with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder treated in the Region of Southern Denmark between 01jan2016 and 06apr2020. Patient characteristics and data on body weight was extracted from electronic medical records. The association between PHT and weight change per year was analyzed using linear regression. PHT was determined between each measurement as the total number of days hospitalized divided by the total number of days. Analyses were adjusted for gender, age, smoking, and antipsychotic medication.

Results

The cohort included 328 FMHP, of which 91% were diagnosed with schizophrenia. PHT had a significant positive dose-response association with weight change, with an estimated difference of +4.0 kg/year for FMHP who were hospitalized 100% of the time, compared to FMHP who were exclusively treated as outpatients. The associations were different for FMHP belonging to different categories of BMI at baseline (test for interaction; p=0.006). Underweight hospitalized FMHP had the largest difference in weight gain compared to FMHP treated outside hospitals (+18.0 kg/year, p=0.006), and the difference was smallest in obese FMHP (+2.3 kg/year, p=0.21).

Conclusions

PHT was positively associated with weight change among FMHP.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Type
Abstract
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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