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Loneliness and its association with health service utilization in people with a psychotic disorder
Citation
Badcock, JC and Di Prinzio, P and Waterreus, A and Neil, AL and Morgan, VA, Loneliness and its association with health service utilization in people with a psychotic disorder, Schizophrenia Research pp. 1-7. ISSN 0920-9964 (2020) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright 2020 Elsevier
DOI: doi:10.1016/j.schres.2020.05.059
Abstract
Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the Second Australian National Survey of Psychosis. Loneliness was assessed using a single-item question, rated on a 4-point scale (not lonely; lonely occasionally; some friends but lonely for company; socially isolated and lonely). Health service use (past 12-months) was measured by the number of general practitioner (GP), emergency department (ED) and outpatient visits, inpatient admissions, and home visits by mental health professionals. Frequent hospital users comprised those in the top 15% of users of at least two services.
Results: Negative binomial regression analysis showed that loneliness was associated with an increased number of GP visits, ED visits and inpatient admissions, only. Socially isolated and lonely survey participants were more than twice as likely (OR = 2.6) of being 'frequent users' compared to non-lonely responders. Following stringent adjustment for covariates, loneliness remained significantly associated with being a 'frequent user' and showed a non-significant trend to an increased number of GP visits and inpatient admissions.
Conclusions: Loneliness is a complex social and personal problem for people with psychosis, related to greater use of some health services. Better strategies for identifying and responding to loneliness in this population have the potential to increase well-being and contain health service utilization costs.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Keywords: | health care, health service utilization, psychotic disorders, loneliness |
Research Division: | Health Sciences |
Research Group: | Health services and systems |
Research Field: | Mental health services |
Objective Division: | Health |
Objective Group: | Provision of health and support services |
Objective Field: | Mental health services |
UTAS Author: | Neil, AL (Associate Professor Amanda Neil) |
ID Code: | 140034 |
Year Published: | 2020 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 7 |
Deposited By: | Menzies Institute for Medical Research |
Deposited On: | 2020-07-22 |
Last Modified: | 2021-06-28 |
Downloads: | 16 View Download Statistics |
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