[Long-term patients in supported housing after deinstitutionalisation--part V of the Berlin Deinstitutionalisation Study]

Abstract

Objective: In part IV of the Berlin Deinstitutionalisation Study, we reported a positive change in quality of life for 65 resettled patients one year after discharge. In this part, we investigated changes in a longer follow-up period.

Methods: A group of 66 patients discharged into supported housing was assessed one and five years after baseline. Quality of life, needs for care, patients' assessment of treatment, re-hospitalisation and characteristics of care were studied in a control-group design.

Results: After five years, 61 % of the patients continued to live in highly staffed settings (mean staff-patient-ratio: 1 : 3.5). Eleven percent had moved on to independent living and 16 % had returned into an institutional setting. Standard mortality ratios were 4.4 (all causes of death) and 62.5 (2 suicides only of schizophrenic patients). After one year patients (n = 20) showed a significant increase in satisfaction with their living situation and more social contacts. Over the longer period of time, there were also favourable changes, which failed to reach statistical significance (n = 24). Average length of inpatient stay per year of the illness was decreased significantly at both follow-ups.

Conclusions: Interpretation of the findings is difficult because of the small sample size and selection effects. Most of the former long-stay patients appear able to live in the community with a significant decrease of time spent in hospital. Whilst patients were particularly satisfied with their accommodation at one year follow-up, this did not lead to a generalised improvement in subjective quality of life and other subjective criteria in the long term. In line with other recent studies on community mental health care one may conclude that small case loads alone do not have major beneficial effects. Further research should evaluate more systematic and targeted models of mental health care in the community in general and of supported housing in particular.