Psychiatric intensive care units: A literature review

Bowers L., Jeffery D., Bilgin H., Jarrett M., Simpson A., Jones J.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHIATRY, cilt.54, sa.1, ss.56-68, 2008 (SSCI) identifier identifier identifier

Özet

Background: Psychiatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) have been part of most inpatient psychiatric services for some time, although information about their functioning and outcome has not previously been collated.

Background: Psychiatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) have been part of most inpatient psychiatric services for some time, although information about their functioning and outcome has not previously been collated.

Aim: To conduct a systematic literature review to assess the current state of knowledge about such services.

Method: A search of electronic databases was undertaken, followed by obtaining additional references from items obtained.

Results: Over 50 papers in English containing some empirical data were identified. Most studies were retrospective. Typical PICU patients are male, younger, single, unemployed, suffering from schizophrenia or mania, from a Black Caribbean or African background, legally detained, with a forensic history. The most common reason for admission is for aggression management, and most patients stay a week or less. Evidence of the efficacy of PICU care is very poor.

Conclusions: Most research so far has been small scale, and more substantial work using better methodologies is clearly required.