[Debts, loans and unpaid bills among day patients and inpatients in psychiatric care in Berlin, Germany].

Background: Previous studies among the general population indicated an association between mental illnesses and different forms of financial difficulties, such as indebtedness.

Objective: Investigation of the financial burden and associated factors among inpatients and day clinic patients in psychiatric care.

Material And Methods: A total of 488 patients in psychiatric care in the catchment area of the Psychiatric University Hospital Charité at St. Hedwig Hospital participated in a cross-sectional patient survey carried out with a structured interview regarding financial burden, sociodemographic and clinical variables.

Results: Of the participants 269 (55.1%) showed outstanding debts, loans or unpaid bills. Among the participants who were willing to give information about the amount of debts, the majority (47.0%) had debts between 1000 € and 9999 € and 36.3% between 10,000 € and 99,999 €. In the binary regression models, younger age and substance use disorders were factors significantly associated with outstanding debts. Of the participants 22.3% had outstanding debts >10,000 € and were depending on social welfare, so that indebtedness could be assumed.

Conclusion: Financial burdens and outstanding debts among patients in psychiatric care should be inquired about and considered more intensively in practice. Suitable models of support need to be developed and evaluated.