Feasibility of establishing open psychology ward in general hospitals for patients with neurosis and mental diseases

Xiaobo ZOU; Juda LIN; Zhijiang YANG; Zhixiong LIN; Guangmin CHEN

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

At present,most general hospitals in China treat patients with neurosis and mental diseases merely by means of clinical psychological consultation,which cannot meet the requirements of social service for metal disorders. Is it feasible to establish open psychology wards?

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the feasibility of establishing open psychology ward in general hospitals for patients with neurosis and mental diseases.

DESIGN:

Case analysis based on patients.

SETTING:

Department of Psychology of Guangdong Medical College Affiliated Hospital.

PARTICIPANTS:

Totally 900 patients with various types of neurosis were admitted to the Department of Psychology of Guangdong Medical College Affiliated Hospital between July 2000 and March 2003.There were 688 patients with different kinds of psychoneurosis and112 cases of mental diseases. Of them,there were 523 men and 377women aged from 11 to 80 years.with the mean age of (42±8) years and hospitalization duration of(17.0±6.5) days.

METHODS:

Open management consisting of open ward,supporting system,humanized restriction,collective physical exercise and psychological support was adopted.Symptom checklist (SCL-90) was used by trained psychological doctors to assess the therapeutic effects in the 900 patients with neurosis and mental diseases after two-month rehabilitation.Meanwhile,169 patients with depression were examined with Hamilton rating scale for depression(HAMD) at 2,4,8 weeks of treatment.patients.

RESULTS:

Open psychology ward could provide an environment for patients to live and make free contact with the outside world. Of the 900patients with various neurosis and metal diseases,531 (59.0%) had recovery to normal,264(29.4%) had obvious improvement,81(9.0%) had improvement,and 24 (2.6%) had no therapeutic effect,with the total effective rate of 97.4% .None of the patients had any accident. HAMD score of the 169 patients with depression was (32.3±3.6) before treatment,was obviously lower at 2,4 and 8 weeks of treatment [(17.4±4.2),(11.5±4.8) and(5.8±3.6),respectively](P ＜ 0.01).

CONCLUSION:

The therapeutic effect of the open psychology ward in the general hospital on various neuropathies and mental diseases was 97.4% in the 900 cases,with no accident occurring during hospitalization.Depression of the 169 patients was obviously improved,indicating that it isfeasible to establish open psychology ward in general hospitals.