Active medical conditions among patients on an assertive community treatment team

Abstract

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the number and type of active medical conditions among psychiatric patients treated by an assertive community treatment (ACT) team in an urban setting. Psychiatric hospitalization admission and discharge summaries of 70 patients were reviewed, and case managers on the treatment team were interviewed. Patients had a median of three active medical conditions. Osteoarthritis, hypertension, viral Hepatitis C infection, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and reactive airway disease were the most common active medical illnesses. The majority of patients were cigarette smokers and were diagnosed with alcohol or illicit substance use disorders, which were associated with viral hepatitis C infection and reactive airway disease in this patient population.