Leaving the hospital by these patients is a challenge for hospital staff and increases the risk of adverse clinical results. The risk of elevated mortality rates and increased rate of hospital readmission is present in this group of patients. The DAMA continue to be a highly prevalent problem representing upto 2% of all hospital discharges. 1,2 Psychiatrists are concerned more, where the LAMA rates have been found to exceed 20% as opposed to less than 4% for admissions for other medical conditions. 3,4 The results of a retrospective study, in which 181,516 admitted patients were studied during 2 years, showed that the risk of mortality and readmission among LAMA/ DAMA patients is 40% more than patients who complete their treatment period in the hospital. 5 In large hospitals especially for patients with alcohol dependance, other substance dependance, and for the people with mental health problems this rate has been reported to be more than 20%; LAMA/DAMA for public hospitals and small rural hospitals is 4 and 1% respectively. 6 Several studies have shown that dissatisfaction with the care received, an enhanced sense of well-being, 6 financial problems, 7 lack of access to skilled and qualified physicians, lack of advanced medical services due to lack of essential medical equipment, dissatisfaction with the medical staff, dissatisfaction with the hospital environment, not achieving a satisfactory result from treatment, 8 being young, 9 male gender, 10 drug addiction, alcohol, and mental health problems 11 are important predictors of LAMA/DAMA.Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate LAMA in patients admitted in the psychiatry ward of a teaching hospital in India to determine the rate of LAMA and associated predictor factors.
MATERIALS AND METHODSThis retrospective study was conducted at the psychiatry ward of a teaching hospital in India which is a tertiary care hospital with both inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities..The present retrospective study included data of consecutive patients who left against medical advice between
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