SUMMARY
OBJECTIVES:
This study aimed to identify the infrastructure (e.g., availability, resources, and staff), basic metrics, and problems (e.g., network, overcrowding, resources, and infrastructure) of the psychiatric emergency services in Brazil.
METHODS:
This is a cross-sectional study assessing psychiatric services (n=29) listed by the Brazilian Psychiatric Association in 2019.
RESULTS:
Almost all the units reported 24 h/7-day availability having psychiatrists, nurses, and social workers, with 8.8 (SE=2.2) and 2.8 (SE=0.3) consultations and hospitalizations per day, respectively. Separated room for contention was reported by the minority of the services (38%). The most commonly reported problems were insufficient structure for child/adolescent care (83%), increasing patient demand (72%), housing referral for homeless (72%), excessive prescription demand (69%), short-term room overcrowding (59%), court orders for inpatient treatment (59%), lack of vacancies for inpatients hospitalization (59%), and referral to primary care (56%).
CONCLUSIONS:
Similar to the United States, the Brazilian psychiatric emergency units are decreasing and encompass the shortcomings of the Brazilian mental health care network.
KEYWORDS:
Health services research; Medical emergency services; Psychiatric emergency services
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