Changes in prevalence and comorbidity in a total population of patients with psychotic disorders in Norwegian psychiatric hospitals

Abstract

Diagnostic profiles, point prevalences, sex and age distribution, and comorbidity are presented from a questionnaire-based study of the total hospitalized Norwegian psychiatric population of patients with psychotic disorders by 1 November 1984 (n=3190) and 1994 (n=1782). This represents 77% and 69% of the total number of inpatients (all diagnoses), respectively, and indicates that the hospitals have reduced the priority for patients with psychotic disorders. In this 10-year period the number of hospitalized patients was reduced by 37%. The consequences of this development is that the duration of stay has decreased, the patients have been younger, and more of the patients are men. The reported frequency of substance abuse increased from 8% to 14% in the index period. Of the patients with psychotic disorders 30% were reported to have suicidal thoughts, threats, or attempts before or during the index hospitalization in 1994, ranging from 19% to 48% according to diagnostic category.

Key Words:

• Prevalence
• Psychiatric hospital
• Psychotic disorders