A Comparative Study of Prognosis in Major Mental Disorders.
Abstract:
Major diagnostic groups were compared with respect to demographic and clinical characteristics, disposition decisions, post-hospital outcomes, and prognostic indicators in a population of 19,861 male Navy psychiatric patients. The post-hospital adjustment criterion was based upon rehospitalization history and military performance record. Type of disposition from the hospital return to active duty or not varied widely among diagnostic categories, and rehospitalization rates also varied considerably. Psychotics in remission had the highest rehospitalization rate while psychophysiologic disorder cases had the lowest rehospitalization rate. Overall, consistent patterns of relationships between demographic and clinical characteristics, including diagnosis, and dispositions and post-hospital outcomes were present to an impressive degree, but the need for improved prognostic criteria was clearly demonstrated.