PATTERN OF DISCHARGE FROM NORWEGIAN PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS

The first admissions to all psychiatric hospitals in Norway 1955-59 have been followed with regard to pattern of discharge and readmission until the end of 1960. These patients, whose entire hospital stay falls within the era of the psychotropic drugs, are compared with a control group of "pre-drug" patients admitted in 1948-52 and followed until the end of 1953. There is a slight increase in the discharge rates and a tendency towards shorter hospital stay. It is shown, however, that a far more marked improvement of the therapeutic results took place between 1936 and 1950. The writer feels that the lack of unemployment since 1945 may be an important factor in facilitating the social rehabilitation of our psychiatric patients. The impact of drug therapy appears to have been modest, but varies remarkably from one hospital to another with an improvement of 33% and a decrease of 23% as extremes.