Perceptions, needs and mourning reactions of bereaved relatives confronted with a sudden unexpected death.

Many individuals die suddenly and unexpectedly outside the hospital or in the emergency department (ED). The aim of this study was to determine the perceptions, needs and mourning reactions of their bereaved relatives and to assess the relationship with the cause of death. Data were collected prospectively in the emergency department of a university hospital by means of an interview and a standardised questionnaire.

Patients with psychiatric emergencies transported by an ambulance in an urban region.

This paper studies the use of an ambulance service in the case of psychiatric emergency referrals. A cross-sectional design was used to compare the patients brought in by an ambulance with all other psychiatric emergency referrals. The sociodemographic and clinical characteristics as well as the referral pattern of both groups of patients are compared.

Epidemiology of psychiatric emergency referrals in four regions of Belgium.

Over a period of two years, all psychiatric emergency referrals at the emergency department of four public hospitals were monitored using a standardized form. The results showed that the hospitals share a typical profile of the psychiatric emergency department user. The profile is consistent with earlier descriptive studies, in Belgium as well as in other countries.