Brief communication: factors affecting rehospitalisation in psychiatric patients in Singapore.

Objectives: To study the patterns of readmission in Singapore using a cohort of first admission schizophrenia patients to the state mental health institute.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of case records was done of first admission schizophrenia patients to the hospital from April 1993 to March 1994. Patients who had only one admission in the five years of follow up were compared to 'revolving door patients'.

Results: The cohort comprised 133 males (56.8%) and 101 females (43.2%). Seventy-eight patients (33.3%) had one admission to the hospital while 56 (23.9%) fulfilled the revolving door criteria. On performing a logistic regression we found sex (p = 0.02), shorter duration of illness (p = 0.01) and CPN referral (0.006) were significantly associated with revolving door phenomena.

Conclusions: Our study has identified male gender, history of self-harm and a short duration of illness to be risk factors for 'revolving door' phenomena.