The Psychosocial Adjustment of Medical Inpatients After Discharge: A Follow-Up Study

In a six-month follow-up of psychiatrically screened medical inpatients in a university teaching service, there was no change in "psycho-occupational" status in those who the screening psychiatrists thought did not need psychiatric referral. There was, however, significant change in status of those patients who were thought to need referral. In those who actually were referred 62 percent were better, 19 percent were the same, and 19 percent worse. Only 24 percent of the individuals who were not referred were better, 16 percent were the same, and 60 percent were worse.