Hospital and community ratings of psychopathology as predictors of employment and readmission.

Recorded psychopathology, as observed at hospital release and in the community 3 wk. later, on the Symptom Rating Scale. The relationships of symptom ratings to employment and readmission of 957 schizophrenics are reported. The multiple correlation of employment with the community-rated Symptom Rating Scale was .54, slightly higher than the multiple correlations of .48 for the hospital-rated items. Neither item set yielded significant multiple correlations with readmission. "Low motivation" was the most potent work predictor at both time points. Implications for developing hospital experience conducive to heightened motivation are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prediction of length of stay out of the hospital for released psychiatric patients.

The scores of 104 consecutively released nongeriatric psychiatric patients on the California Psychological Inventory, the Waco Social Adequacy Scale, Opinions about Mental Illness Scale (administered to relatives also) and background variables were correlated with success or failure in achieving a 9-mo. uninterrupted stay in the community after release. Only the Waco, OMI Authoritarianism, Benevolence, and Social Restrictiveness, and 4 of the background variable correlated significantly (p.     

Staff ratings of the relative importance of the consequences of release from or retention in a psychiatric hospital.

Staff in 12 Veterans Administration hospitals rated importance of 16 possible outcomes of decisions to release or retain psychiatric patients. Dangerousness, malingering, and institutionalization were considered most important (undesirable) by Ss as a whole. Comparison of outcome profiles of 8 occupational groups showed small but significant differences in profile shapes and larger differences in profile levels. Groups differed most in their opinions regarding the importance of avoiding indigency, idleness, and family complaints about release. Nursing assistants differed most frequently from other groups. The research reported here and planned for the future derives from the attempt to use the expected utility maximization model to guide release/retention decision making. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Demographic characteristics as predictors of posthospital employment and readmission.

Examined relationships between background-demographic characteristics and posthospital employment and readmission within a 9-mo follow-up period after discharge for 957 male schizophrenics. The 20-variable predictor set yielded a multiple correlation of .52 with weeks of work (p     

Goal definition by staff consensus: A contribution to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of mental health services.

To provide a basis for the evaluation of VA mental health services, a survey was conducted of staff opinion regarding the importance of several specific goals for these services. Nine goals were formulated and submitted to 6,435 central office and field facility staff to obtain their ratings of each goal's importance, with an "of no importance" rating being possible. The goals dealing with (a) the development of patient skills necessary for being self-supporting, (b) the elimination of psychological disorders, and (c) the protection of patients and others from violence received the highest average ratings. The remaining goals were considered as having some importance although there were substantial differences among the sample about the degree. Interoccupational group differences in importance ratings were statistically significant but small. Although the goals formulated and ratified by staff were general, they were more specific than previous goal statements. It is suggested that because of this relative specificity, they provide useful guidance for planning, managing, delivering, and evaluating mental health services. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The labor market and schizophrenics' posthospital employment.

Correlated work performance of a nationwide sample of 957 male schizophrenics for a 9-mo period after discharge from Veterans Administration hospitals with labor market conditions and other characteristics of expatients' communities. Results indicate that posthospital employment was meager and was unrelated to urbanization, industrialization, and local unemployment rates. The conclusion that variance in vocational adjustment is accounted for more by characteristics of the S than by labor market characteristics is seen as having encouraging implications for personnel involved in returning patients to the world of work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Use of a biographical inventory to predict schizophrenics' posthospital employment and readmission.

Factor analyzed the posttreatment scores of 720 male schizophrenics on L. Ullman and J. Giovannoni's Palo Alto Social Background Inventory (PASBI). Factor scales and PASBI-derived Process-Reactive scale were then correlated with employment and readmission. Analysis yielded 10 factors reflecting perceived degree of disability, interpersonal orientations, regularity of employment, extent of previous hospitalization, and demographic characteristics. The bulk of the explained variance of posthospital work was accounted for by chronicity, perception of disability, and marital affiliation. The PASBI scales were not related to readmission. Work and readmission were only minimally (and negatively) related. Results support the utility of a self-administered historical inventory in making treatment decisions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Failed total wrist arthroplasty. Analysis of failures and results of operative management

Nine metal on polyethylene total wrist arthroplasties were revised for failure, including eight trispherical devices and one Volz implant. Causes of failure include sepsis in one patient, progressive wrist flexion contracture in two patients, and mechanical failure in six patients. The most common mode of mechanical failure was metacarpal loosening with dorsal perforation of the stem. This was associated with an intact articulation between the third metacarpal and the capitate, with a proximal position of the metacarpal component in the shaft, and with poor cement fill of the metacarpal shaft. The one infected wrist was managed with resection arthroplasty. Five patients had conversion to a wrist arthrodesis and three patients underwent revision total wrist arthroplasty with custom trispherical components. Followup averaged 3.3 years. All patients undergoing arthrodesis attained a solid painless fusion after a single operation at an average of 4.8 months. The three patients treated with revision arthroplasty had wrists that were pain free, functional, and had no evidence of loosening at latest followup. Failed total wrist arthroplasties can be salvaged successfully to either a fusion or a revision arthroplasty in most patients.