Objective: to determine the chances of discharge of forensic psychiatric patients (section 63 of the German Legal Code) diagnosed with comorbid psychiatric and somatic disorders.
Methods: N = 364 patients were evaluated. Diagnostic groups were compared with regard to types and frequencies of comorbid diagnoses, and treatment duration.
Results: Both personality disorders as main diagnoses and comorbid personality disorders were associated with prolonged inpatient treatment. Substance dependence in addition to a personality disorder was an aggravating factor. Comorbid somatic disorders affected treatment duration of patients diagnosed with a psychotic disorder.
Conclusions: Somatic comorbidity may negatively interact with the treatment of psychiatric problems in schizophrenic patients and thus affect the prospects of discharge in this patient group.
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.