Studies of sex differences in first admission age for inpatients in Missouri public psychiatric hospitals were examined for the incidence of major affective illness and dysthymia. Patients diagnosed as schizophrenic were also studied to check for diagnostic comparability. Those males diagnosed as having major affective illness were admitted 3.82 years earlier than females; the differential held up regardless of fifth-digit coding for psychosis. Males diagnosed as dysthymic were admitted 0.98 years earlier than females. Male schizophrenic patients were admitted an average of 7.75 years earlier than females, and the distribution was similar to that reported in a variety of cross-cultural studies.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Using a quality of life measure to investigate outcome in outpatient treatment of severely impaired psychiatric clients.

Subjective quality of life (SQL) reports in mental health settings are used with increasing frequency despite some theoretical and psychometric concerns. The authors report on 1,291 SQL reports from two assessment/casework centers serving indigent mental health outpatients in the St. Louis Metropolitan area, and a subsample of 156 clients who reported their SQL at admission and 1 year later. Standardization data for these clients are presented, as well as information on SQL domains and the internal consistency of the scale. It was found that symptom and adjustment scales comprise close to 40% of the SQL scale variance. In the 1-year follow-up subsample, the overall scale and six domains showed small but significant differences between admission and 1-year follow-up results.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMedDate not supplied

An outcome study of Missouri's CSTAR alcohol and drug abuse programs.

The Comprehensive Substance Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation (CSTAR) program is described, and a study of its services is presented. The CSTAR program is a community program with wrap-around services and intensive case management. Eleven domains typically affected by substance abuse were measured, plus satisfaction with treatment services. A retrospective study of 280 clients at 10 facilities was done, and results analyzed separately by General Programs. Women with Children programs, and Adolescent programs. A small sample of clients who were early in their treatment was re-interviewed 90 days later. Data were also examined according to length of stay in the program. Results were consistently positive, and increased with length of time in the program.

Activities of Daily Living↗