Characteristics of Patients Involved in Physical Assault in an Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Setting.

Background: Although aggressive behavior in psychiatric settings is a major concern, very few studies have focused exclusively on physical assault in a general inpatient psychiatric population.

Objectives: This study had 3 main goals: (1) to evaluate the prevalence of assaultive behavior in an acute psychiatric hospital; (2) to identify the clinical and socio-demographic factors associated with assaultive behavior during hospitalization; and (3) to explore whether a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorder increases the risk of assaultive behavior.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients admitted to acute units in a psychiatric hospital between 2009 and 2012.

Indications for and use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics: consideration from an inpatient setting.

Studies have examined the differences in sociodemographic/clinical characteristics between patients on long-acting injectable (LAI) versus oral medications. However, most studies did not focus specifically on patients for whom LAIs would clearly be indicated. We performed a chart review of patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.