Absconding of patients from an independent UK psychiatric hospital: a 3-year retrospective analysis of events and characteristics of absconders

Dickens, G. and Campbell, J. (2001) Absconding of patients from an independent UK psychiatric hospital: a 3-year retrospective analysis of events and characteristics of absconders. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 8(6), pp. 543-550. 1365-2850.

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Item Type:	Article
Abstract:	The need for accurate local information on the scale, nature and outcome of absconding or Absence Without Leave (AWOL) from an independent UK psychiatric hospital led to this 3-year (1997–1999) retrospective analysis of of AWOL data. One hundred and forty-eight AWOL incidents involving 88 patients were identified. Absconders were found to be significantly younger, more likely to be detained upon admission and more likely to be unmarried than a control group (n = 1378) of non-absconders. There were no significant differences for sex, length of admission or ethnicity. Descriptive data on the circumstances surrounding AWOL events are given, with at least 24 (16.2%) incidents having serious adverse outcomes. Baseline absconding rates are presented for the specialist clinical divisions within the hospital. There is a need for more detailed studies of absconding by patients within the Adolescent Mental Health Service subgroup where the absconding rate was relatively high and engagement in risk activity whilst AWOL relatively frequent.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	absconding patients, AWOL incidence, mental health nurses, outcome
Subjects:	R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics > RJ499 Mental disorders. Child psychiatry > RJ503 Adolescent psychiatry R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC435 Psychiatry > RC440 Psychiatric nursing R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC435 Psychiatry > RC450 Psychiatric hospitals
Creators:	Dickens, Geoff and Campbell, Jackie
Publisher:	Blackwell Publishing
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes:	University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Faculty of Health & Society
Date:	2001
Date Type:	Publication
Page Range:	pp. 543-550
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
Volume:	8
Number:	6
Language:	English
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1351-0126.2001.00426.x
ISSN:	1365-2850
Status:	Published / Disseminated
URI:	http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/id/eprint/5890

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