PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Hans Rittmannsberger

Publications and source records attributed to Hans Rittmannsberger.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

The "carers' needs assessment for Schizophrenia": an instrument to assess the needs of relatives caring for schizophrenia patients.

OBJECTIVE: For the purpose of service planning, an instrument was developed for the systematic assessment of interventions needed by the caregivers of schizophrenia patients. METHOD: The development of this instrument was based on in-depth interviews and focus groups. It consists of 18 areas describing common problems of schizophrenia caregivers. For each of these problem areas several possible interventions are offered. Concurrent validity, inter-rater and retest reliability were tested among 50 caregivers. RESULTS: The kappa values for the inter-rater reliability are predominantly excellent (kappa > 0.75). The values for the retest reliability show a wide range between excellent (kappa > 0.75) and fair agreement (kappa 0.40-0.60). The significant correlations found between summary scores of this new instrument and several sub-scales of the Family Problem Questionnaire support the assumption that the concurrent validity is satisfactory. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that this instrument is both valid and reliable.

Caregivers↗
PubMed2005

Efficacy and tolerability of quetiapine in patients with schizophrenia who switched from haloperidol, olanzapine or risperidone.

A post hoc analysis of the SPECTRUM trial was carried out to evaluate whether the improvements in efficacy and tolerability gained on switching to quetiapine occurred consistently for patients previously treated with either: haloperidol (n = 43); olanzapine (n = 66); or risperidone (n = 55) monotherapy. Patients were initiated with quetiapine to 400 mg/day over 7 days, and then flexibly dosed (300-750 mg/day) for 11 weeks. The mean (SD) modal dose of quetiapine was 501 (138) mg/day in the haloperidol subgroup, 472 (147) mg/day in the olanzapine subgroup and 485 (141) mg/day in the risperidone subgroup at the study endpoint. Switching to quetiapine induced significant improvements from baseline in PANSS scores, with least square mean changes in total scores of -32.5, -15.4, and -18.5 for patients previously treated with haloperidol, olanzapine and risperidone, respectively, (all p < 0.001 vs baseline). Significant improvements were also noted in CDSS scores, particularly for patients clinically depressed at baseline (all p < 0.001 vs baseline). There were significant reductions in EPS on the SAS and BAS for all subgroups (all p < 0.001 vs baseline). Switching to quetiapine produced efficacy and tolerability benefits regardless of whether their previous antipsychotic was haloperidol, olanzapine or risperidone.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Changing aspects of psychiatric inpatient treatment. A census investigation in five European countries.

This paper presents data obtained in a one-day census investigation in five European countries (Austria, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia). The census forms were filled in for 4191 psychiatric inpatients. Concerning legal status, 11.2% were hospitalised against their will (committed) and 21.4% were treated in a ward with locked doors. There was only a small correlation between commitment and treatment in a locked ward. More frequent than treatment of committed patients in locked wards was treatment of committed patients in open wards (Austria, Hungary) and treatment of voluntary patients in closed wards (Slovakia, Slovenia). Concerning employment, 27.7% of patients aged 18-60 held a job before admission. The vast majority of patients (84.8%) had a length of stay of less than 3 months. A comparison of these data with the results of a study performed in 1996 and using the same method shows a decrease of rates of long-stay patients. In 1996 the rates of employment were significantly higher in Romania (39.3%) and Slovakia (42.5%) compared to Austria (30.7%). These differences disappeared in 1999 due to decreasing rates of employment in Romania and Slovakia. The numbers of mental health personnel varies between types of institution (university or non-university) and countries, being highest in Austria and lowest in Romania. A considerable increase in the numbers of staff was found in Slovakia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Weight gain during long-term treatment with olanzapine: a case series.

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of weight gain during long-term treatment with olanzapine under routine conditions. Weight changes in a sample of 27 outpatients with schizophrenic or schizoaffective disorder were assessed over a mean duration of treatment of 22 months (6-42 months). Treatment with olanzapine was started anew or switched from a conventional antipsychotic drug. Eighteen (66.7%) patients gained more than 7% of their initial body weight. Mean weight gain was 9.2 kg over the study period for the first year 7.7 kg, and only 1.7 kg in the second year. Due to some patients losing weight in the second year, the latter finding obscures the fact that more than 50% of patients gained considerable weight also during the second year (4.8 kg). Weight gain per month was significantly higher in patients with lower body mass index, yet the highest weight gain was found in the most obese patient. Weight gain under olanzapine is a serious concern, and should be monitored closely and countered by active measures.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Medication adherence among psychotic patients before admission to inpatient treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Nonadherence to antipsychotic regimens is considered to be one of the main reasons for hospital readmission. This study assessed the extent of nonadherence in the month before inpatient treatment. METHODS: Ninety-five consecutive patients with an ICD-10 diagnosis of a psychotic disorder (F20) were surveyed about adherence at admission to psychiatric inpatient treatment at a hospital in Linz, Austria. Adherence was assessed on the basis of self-report and by interviewing multiple informants. Episodes of inpatient treatment during the year after discharge were assessed prospectively. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients (57 percent) were rated as partially or fully nonadherent. Compared with patients with good adherence, those who were nonadherent had lower mean scores on the Global Assessment of Functioning (41.4 compared with 47.2), more often received compulsory treatment (52 percent compared with 22 percent), more often had impaired insight into their illness at admission (63 percent compared with 24 percent) and discharge (41 percent compared with 13 percent), and had more days of inpatient treatment in the year after discharge from the index episode (mean of 44.8 days compared with 20.6 days). Adherence was significantly better among patients in regular contact with their psychiatrist and among younger patients. Nonadherent patients who gained insight during treatment had significantly fewer days of inpatient treatment during the next year than those whose insight was still low at discharge (mean of 19.2 days compared with 73.2 days). CONCLUSIONS: Nonadherence is an important contributor to the need for inpatient treatment and is associated with a less favorable course of treatment. The best predictor of further inpatient treatment is insight into illness at discharge.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[Residential care and regional psychiatric care:].

OBJECTIVES: In Linz, capital of the province of Upper Austria, there is a considerable shortage of supported housing. Yet the rate of places available reaches 0.9/1000 inhabitants, thus already exceeding the recommended number. METHODS: A comprehensive investigation was started concerning all persons living in supported housing facilities. Services for psychiatric patients (n = 190) were included as well as services for homeless persons (n = 159). RESULTS: Only 41 % of the psychiatric patients and 31 % of the homeless people actually belonged into the region. Also among those who have been living less than one year in the facility, 45 % of the psychiatric and 67 % of the homeless persons come from outside, thus indicating, that the migration of patients is still going on. Among the homeless 69 % were mentally ill. While in the psychiatric services schizophrenic and affective psychoses were predominant, addictive disorders prevailed in the services for the homeless. CONCLUSIONS: It is the aim of mental health services in Upper Austria to care for the patients within their home regions. All regions are providing a fair amount of places for supported housing. Despite this a considerable number of patients keeps coming to the provincial capital. The causes and consequences of this process are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[Consequences of decentralization on the basis of a psychiatric department in the upper austrian salzkammergut].

OBJECTIVE: To describe the changes of utilization of a psychiatric department following its decentralization into an Upper Austrian region, the Salzkammergut. METHODS: 9 months before and after decentralization all kinds of contacts to psychiatric patients (inpatients, outpatients, day clinic patients, patients of consulting psychiatric service) regarding frequency of contacts, case numbers and diagnosis have been evaluated. For the inpatients their legal status was recorded. RESULTS: Since the establishment of the decentralized psychiatric department an increase in the frequency of admissions of inpatients up to 157 % could be revealed. Depressive disorders showed the largest increase of admissions (204 %), remarkable increase was also seen in substance use disorders, neurotic and organic disorders (between 171 % and 183 %). Changes also emerged concerning the legal status of the patients with a decrease of the percentage of involuntary admissions from 26.5 % prior to decentralization to 20.7 % thereafter. Among the patients seen by the consulting service length of stay was higher than usually seen on somatic wards as there was a very high proportion of patients with depressive syndromes. CONCLUSION: Within the context of decentralization provision of psychiatric care seems to be improved. Treating more patients with depressive and neurotic disorders the staff of the psychiatric ward was confronted to apply more psychotherapeutic interventions to meet the patient's neurotic and suicidal behaviour.

Austria↗