PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L Hyer

Publications and source records attributed to L Hyer.

46 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Treatment characteristics of psychiatric programs that correlate with patient community adjustment.

This large Veterans Administration cooperative study sought to identify the ward milieu characteristics of effective psychiatric programs. It was developed as a multivariable, correlational study that involved systematic observations of program characteristics and outcome effectiveness of wards as they operated in their usual manner. Seventy-nine wards in 18 hospitals provided 11,283 patients eligible for follow-up. Eleven treatment characteristics were found to be correlated to patients' community adjustment 3 months after discharge. These characteristics were classified into five general categories: Patient-staff interaction, patient activities, medication practices, ward physical environment, and nursing staff rotation. The major conclusions are: wards do differ in their effectiveness as measured by ratings of patient posthospital adjustment; and treatment characteristics make a difference in program effectiveness as measured by patients' posthospital adjustment.

Aggression↗
PubMed1984

Community adjustment among older depressives.

Depression is the most common emotional disorder of later life, yet there is much confusion and clinical speculation about it. Adjustment of later-life depressives after psychiatric treatment is virtually an unknown area, as is the phenomenon of depression itself with this population. This study addressed these two issues. Community adjustment of younger and older clinically depressed patients after treatment was monitored. Also, adjustment differences in self and other ratings were compared between the two age groups. Results show that there are no significant differences in posttreatment adjustment ratings between the age groups. In addition, it was found that older depressives with a longer history of depression adjust less well than expected. Lastly, older depressives (relative to younger ones), particularly neurotic ones, show the following pattern of adjustment: Less alienation, less vigor, less confidence in skills, poorer work history, less abuse of alcohol or drugs, more social constriction, more agitation, and fewer household management skills.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Older age research non-responders: an inpatient "profile".

Examined the differences between older research non-responders and older completers and between older research non-responders and younger ones. As part of a large cooperative Veterans Administration study, a sample of 619 older non-responders were compared to 964 older completers and also to 4,731 younger non-responders on basic demographic and treatment factors, as well as on self-rated adjustment dimensions. Among other factors, results show that older non-responders tend to be substance abusers, to be "loners," but have equal or better adjustment ratings than older completers; and among other variables, older non-responders tend to be "first timers" in psychiatric hospitals, to have greater treatment expectations, and to rate themselves with better adjustment in many areas relative to younger non-responders.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1984

Treatment characteristics of effective psychiatric programs.

As part of a large cooperative study undertaken by the Veterans Administration (VA) to identify the ward characteristics of effective psychiatric programs, 123 treatment characteristics were analyzed using four measures of patient posthospital community adjustment derived from the Veterans Adjustment Scale and the Personal Adjustment and Role Skills Scale. The authors found that wards that performed best on the measures were characterized by staff who perceived less order and organization on the ward, nursing staffs with less shift rotations, a lower percentage of socially passive patients, a higher percentage of patients off the ward, a higher percentage of neurotic patients on no antipsychotic drugs at discharge, and lower dosages of the minor tranquilizers. These six treatment characteristics accounted for 29 percent of the variance in the outcome measures. After discussing the relationship of the findings from this study to the findings from a previous article on the VA study, which analyzed ward setting characteristics and program outcome, the authors conclude that ward programs differ in their effectiveness as measured by ratings of patient post-hospital community adjustment and that both setting and treatment characteristics make a difference in that adjustment.

Hospitals, Veterans↗
PubMed1983

Community adjustment of older schizophrenics.

Community adjustment among older schizophrenics is a virtually unresearched area. This study addressed two questions related to this problem: Does the community adjustment of older schizophrenics differ from that of younger schizophrenics?, and Do "older" old schizophrenics differ from "younger" old schizophrenics? Patients from 79 psychiatric wards across the country completed a self-rating adjustment scale within 5 days of admission to the hospital and again 3 months after discharge. Significant others rated these patients for adjustment also. For the first analysis two groups were selected: Those patients diagnosed schizophrenic and at least 55 years of age and those below the age of 55. A second analysis divided patients into "younger" old (between 55 and 60) and "older" old (greater than 60). Results show that older schizophrenics adjust about as well as those younger on self-ratings, but less well when rated by others. Also, "older" old schizophrenics adjust better than the "younger" old in both self- and significant other ratings. These findings are discussed.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1977

Demographic and clinical characteristics as predictors of length of hospitalization and readmission.

The present study investigated demographic and clinical characteristics of psychiatric patients in relation to the two criterion variables of length of hospitalization and readmission within 3 months of discharge. Stepwise multiple regression analysis identified five variables as the optimal set of predictors for length of hospitalization: age, history of commitment, number of prior psychiatric hospitalizations, recent employment history, and past history of suicidal behavior (R = .451). Regression analysis also identified six variables as the optimal set of predictors for readmission within 3 months of discharge: type of discharge, number of prior psychiatric hospitalizations, race, suicide attempt within 1 month prior to admission, subjective report of depression upon admission, and occupational level (R = .452). Implications of the findings for identifying short-term treatment candidates and factors related to readmission are discussed.

Adult↗