[Possibility of discharge and need for rehabilitation of psychiatric patients hospitalized for one year or more in Japan: a preliminary report. Committee on Rehabilitation Affairs, Subcommittee of Survey on Rehabilitation Need].

A total of 19,342 psychiatric patients staying in a total of 143 hospitals in Japan for one year or more entered in this study in order to determine the possibility of discharge (POD) and the need for rehabilitation. Those who were assessed by the psychiatrist in charge to have POD provided community support was assured accounted for 32.5%. As for the levels of daily life functions measured with the GAF score, those assessed to have POD showed the maximum frequency between scores 51 and 60, while the others, who were not considered suitable for discharge, showed the maximum frequency between scores 21 and 30. On the other hand, the control group, consisting of subjects with psychiatric disabilities and living in the community while using day care or rehabilitation facilities, showed the maximum frequency of GAF scores between 51 and 60. Two-thirds of the study subjects were older than fifty, while in the control group those aged between 30 and 49 accounted for 49.0%, thus indicating that the residents of mental hospitals tend to be older. More than 60% of the study subjects had been staying in hospital for five years or more. Those without their own home accounted for about 60%.