Understanding Primary Care Support for Patients After Mental Health Discharge
Author Information
Author(s): Rebecca Musgrove, Matthew J Carr, Nav Kapur, Carolyn A Chew-Graham, Faraz Mughal, Darren M Ashcroft, Roger T Webb
Primary Institution: University of Manchester
Hypothesis
How are patients discharged from inpatient mental health care supported by primary care during their transition?
Conclusion
Primary care clinicians have opportunities to intervene and should prioritize patients experiencing transition from inpatient care.
Supporting Evidence
- Over 40% of patients who died within 2 weeks of discharge had at least one primary care consultation.
- Patients who died by suicide were less likely to consult within 2 weeks of discharge.
- Those who died by suicide were more likely to consult in the week before death.
Takeaway
This study shows that many people who leave the hospital after mental health treatment see their doctor, and it's important for doctors to help them during this time.
Methodology
A nested case–control study using interlinked primary and secondary care records in England for patients who died by suicide within a year of discharge.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to incomplete mental health records and reliance on coded data.
Limitations
The study may have excluded some deaths by suicide for people who changed practices, and data incompleteness in discharge documentation limited analysis.
Participant Demographics
The majority of participants were male (72.4%) with a median age of 49 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.01
Confidence Interval
95% CI = 0.42 to 0.89
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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