Attenders of a university hospital psychiatric emergency service in Belgium

Objective The aim of this study was to provide a clinical and epidemiological profile of patients consulting the psychiatric emergency team (PET) of an emergency service of a Belgian university hospital. Method Of all PET patients (N=1,050), demographic characteristics, axis I diagnosis, any axis II diagnosis, presenting problems, psychiatric antecedents, and patterns of referral were assessed. Results Male patients presented more with hostility or violence towards others (10 %) and substance abuse (23 %); female patients presented more with suicidality (31%) and depressed mood (24 %).Male patients had more psychoactive substance use disorders (21 %); female patients had more mood (21%) and adjustment disorders (19 %). About 50% of the patients were unemployed and had sought psychiatric help in the past. Female patients were more often referred by the emergency physician (35%) and health care professionals (29 %); male patients were more often self-referred (23 %) and referred by the police (9 %). Conclusion A PET could overcome the discrepancy between the need of treatment and the effective use of mental health services.Male and female PET patients presented different complaints and were given different axis I diagnoses; they also had different pathways to care