background There is insufficient insight in the characteristics of users of psychiatric emergency services (PES) and their patterns of care. This is relevant for identifying crisis sensitive patients and policymaking for this group.
aim To investigate the differences between subjects who were seen by the PES only once versus more than once in the course of one year.
method Demographic, clinical and contact data were used of 2908 patients, as provided by the psychiatric case register of Rotterdam and surroundings, gathered over the period 1991-1995. results Forty-one percent of patients were frequent users of PES and they were seen 3.2 times in the course of one year. This group accounted for 60% (2508) of the total number of PES contacts (4215). Frequent use of PES was associated with: (1) having a psychiatric history, (2) male gender, (3) (less often) being a widow or widower, and (4) having a Surinam or Antillean ethnic background. Patients who used the PES only once, usually had no psychiatric history and in 23% of cases did not get psychiatric treatment after PEScontact.
conclusion Frequent and single PES users form distinct groups of patients, with different patterns of care, and for whom the PESservice has different functions.