Keene, J. and Rodriguez, J. (2007) Are mental health problems associated with use of Accident and Emergency and health-related harm? European Journal of Public Health, 17 (4). pp. 387-393. ISSN 1101-1262.
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| Official URL http://eurpub.oxfordjournals.org/content/17/4/387.... |
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Abstract
Background: Previous findings indicate that mental health problems are common in Emergency departments; however, there are few studies of the extent of health-related problems and emergency service use in mental health populations as a whole. Methods: Record linkage methods were used to map the association between mental health, age, gender, and health-related harm across total health and mental health care populations in one geographical area, over three years. By examining patterns of health-related harm, an accurate profile of mentally ill Emergency patients was generated enabling identification of factors that increased vulnerability to harm. Results: Of the total population of 625 964 individuals, 10.7% contacted Accident and Emergency (A&E) over three years, this proportion rose to 28.6% among the total secondary care mental health population. Young men and older women were more likely to contact A&E, both overall and within mental health populations and were also more likely to be frequent attendees at A&E. Four distinct groups (typologies) of mental health patients attending A&E emerged: young, male frequent attendees with self-inflicted and other traumatic injuries; young females also presenting with self-harm; older patients with multiple medical conditions; and very old patients with cardiac conditions and fractures. Conclusion: The study indicates increased A+E service use and unmet health-related need within a total mental health population. It identifies specific ‘care populations’ particularly vulnerable to accidents and self-harm and highlights the need for targeted services for mentally ill groups who may not access traditional health and social care services effectively.
| Item Type: | Article |
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| Uncontrolled keywords: | Accident and Emergency, health-related harm, mentally ill, populations |
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) H Social Sciences > HM Sociology |
| Divisions: | Faculties > Social Sciences > School of Social Policy Sociology and Social Research > Centre for Health Services Studies |
| Depositing User: | Paula Loader |
| Date Deposited: | 10 Sep 2008 13:47 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Mar 2012 16:07 |
| Resource URI: | http://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/4938 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes) |
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