Do the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales predict outcome in the elderly mentally ill? A 1-year follow-up study

Abstract

The Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) have been introduced as a concise and brief instrument aimed at measuring outcome in mental health care in everyday practice in the United Kingdom. This study involved rating 100 patients twice, a year apart, using the HoNOS, Clifton Assessment Procedures for the Elderly-Behaviour Rating Scales (CAPE-BRS) and two Likert scales monitoring changes in quality of life and mental health. Improvement in the HoNOS scores were observed for mainly patients with depression who remained in the community or were discharged from hospital. Initial HoNOS scores were worse among patients who were deceased a year later followed by those who had been transferred into institutional care. The HoNOS did predict outcome a year later in the elderly mentally ill and appears to be a useful tool in monitoring mental health care and outcome, especially in dementia and depression, two of the most common psychiatric disorders in the elderly.