An audit study of defaulters of regular psychiatric outpatient appointments in Hong Kong

Int J Soc Psychiatry. 1995 Summer;41(2):103-7. doi: 10.1177/002076409504100203.

Abstract

This paper describes an audit study of general psychiatric outpatient defaulters in Hong Kong. Defaulters were increased among those who were married, unemployed, housewives, seen within one year, receiving medications and previously admitted to hospital. Clinical diagnoses (ICD-10 Axis-1) of the F1, F2, F3 and F7 groups were also associated with increased defaulting behaviour. However, fewer defaulters were found among those who were aged below 19, single, employed, students, and had diagnostic groups of F4 and F9. These results added new information on the non-attendance behavioral pattern of Chinese patients.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Appointments and Schedules*
  • Cross-Cultural Comparison*
  • Female
  • Hong Kong / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Medical Audit*
  • Mental Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Mental Disorders / ethnology
  • Mental Disorders / psychology
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Care Team
  • Patient Dropouts / psychology
  • Patient Dropouts / statistics & numerical data*
  • Sex Factors
  • Socioeconomic Factors