Continuity of care for people with non-psychotic disorders.

Journal article

BACKGROUND: Service users with non-psychotic disorders are rarely studied. How continuity of care functions for this group is unknown. AIMS: To compare users of community mental health teams with non-psychotic disorders to those with psychotic disorders in terms of demographic and illness characteristics, continuity of care and clinical and social functioning. METHODS: Service users with non-psychotic disorders (N = 98) were followed up for one year and compared to 180 service users with psychotic disorders. Continuity of care factors were tested for association with user, illness and service variables. RESULTS: Service users with non-psychotic disorders experienced more care transitions, but there were no differences in team practices in relation to these two different groups. CONCLUSION: The underlying concepts of continuity of care derived from users with psychotic disorders appear to be meaningful for users with non-psychotic disorders. Their greater likelihood of experiencing disruptive and distressing care transitions needs to be addressed.

Authors: Catty, J; Cowan, N; Poole, Z; Clement, S; Ellis, G

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: International journal of social psychiatry
• Volume: 59
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 18-27
• Publication date: 2013-02-01
• DOI: 10.1177/0020764011421442
• EISSN: 1741-2854
• ISSN: 0020-7640
• Language: English
• Keywords: Health Services Needs and Demand; Male; Community Mental Health Centers; Mental Disorders; Great Britain; Quality of Life; Psychotic Disorders; Chronic Disease; Patient Care Team; Female; Treatment Outcome; Humans; Cohort Studies; Hospitalization; Follow-Up Studies; Patient Discharge; Middle Aged; Adult; Social Adjustment; Continuity of Patient Care