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A comparative study of bed usage by younger and older patients with depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Elaine Murphy  and
Emily Grundy
Elaine Murphy*
Affiliation:
Goodmayes Hospital, Ilford, Essex
Emily Grundy
Affiliation:
Goodmayes Hospital, Ilford, Essex
*
1Address for correspondence: Professor Elaine Murphy, Department of Psychiatry, Guy's Hospital Medical School, London Bridge, London SE1 9RT.
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Synopsis

Recent follow-up studies of depression in old age have highlighted the high relapse rate in older patients compared with younger patients. The consequences for the provision of acute psychiatric beds for elderly patients has been investigated by comparing the usage of beds by younger and older patients with depression over a 4-year period. Overall, elderly depressed patients consumed one and a half times as many bed days as younger depressed patients and a quarter of all acute bed days available in the hospital were used by elderly depressed patients.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 14 , Issue 2 , May 1984 , pp. 445 - 450
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

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