[Homeless psychiatric patients, a study of registration of clients in hostels and foster homes].

: In November 1990 a prevalence study and a one month incidence study of previous admissions to psychiatric hospitals or wards were carried out among clients in hostels and care homes in three Danish counties. The study includes Aarhus county, the county of Northern Jutland and the municipality of Copenhagen. Both incidence and prevalence were of approximately the same magnitude in the three counties, between 50% and 75%. When clients who at their latest discharge from a psychiatric hospital or ward were diagnosed alcoholics or drug abusers were excluded the figures were reduced to 25-33%. Eight per cent of the total of 1008 persons investigated (90% males, 10% females) had previously been diagnosed as schizophrenic. Twenty-three per cent of the patients previously admitted to psychiatric hospitals or hostels were admitted to ward or care homes within 24 hours of discharge from hospital and 29% within one month. Among the patients discharged from psychiatric hospitals or wards within two years previous to their present admission to hostels or care homes, 70% were between 25 and 44 years old, 8% younger than 25 years.