Patient Guided Psychiatric Admissions

Background:

To meet the requirement for increased patient involvement, several DPSs have initiated a service called "patient-guided admissions". The study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Hypothesis:

1. A reduction in the number of nights admitted, both in relation to voluntary and involuntary admissions will be registered, due to "patient-guided admissions".
2. Patients will experience improved mental health as well as improved quality of life as a result of participating in "patient-guided admissions".
3. Patients will experience an increased feeling of coping as a result of participating in "patient-guided admissions".

4. Patients will experience increased feeling of:

   • self confidence and hope
   • willingness to ask for help
   • a wish to succeed
   • trust towards others.
5. Patients will experience a reduced feeling of being dominated by symptoms as a result of participating in "Patient-guided admissions".

Design:

Patients (n=50) with severe mental illness (psychosis/bipolar illness, some with a supplementary drug problem) in need of long term treatment from primary and special health care will be recruited by the person in charge of their treatment at Nidaros DPS. The patients will be randomized into two groups and given:

1. contract regarding "patient-guided admissions" starting immediately, or
2. contract regarding "patient-guided admissions" starting a year after (wait list control group).

The groups will be compared based on various outcomes, as well as short qualitative interviews regarding mental condition, need of help and involvement in own treatment.