Home treatment for mental health problems: a systematic review

Burns T, Knapp M, Catty J, Healey A, Henderson J, Watt H, Wright C
Record ID 32001000933
English
Authors' objectives:

This review investigates the effectiveness of 'home treatment' for mental health problems in terms of hospitalisation and cost-effectiveness. For the purposes of this review, 'home treatment' is defined as a service that enables the patient to be treated outside hospital as far as possible and remain in their usual place of residence.

Authors' results and conclusions: A total of 91 studies were found, conducted over a 30-year period. The majority (87) focused on people with psychotic disorders. Studies were predominately from the USA and UK, more of them being from the USA. North American studies found a reduction in hospitalisation of 1 day per patient per month more than European studies. North American and European services differed on some service components, but this was unlikely to account for this finding, particularly as no difference was found in their experimental service results.
Authors' recommendations: Implications for clinicians: The evidence base for home treatment compared with other community-based services is not strong, although it does show that home treatment reduces days spent in hospital compared with inpatient treatment. There is evidence that visiting patients at home regularly and taking responsibility for both health and social care each reduce days in hospital. Implications for consumers: Services that visit patients at home regularly and those that take responsibility for both health and social care are likely to reduce time spent in hospital. Psychiatrists surveyed in this review also considered support for carers to be essential. The evidence from this review, however, was that few services currently have protocols for meeting carers needs.
Authors' methods: Systematic review
Details
Project Status: Completed
URL for project: http://www.hta.ac.uk/1105
Year Published: 2001
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: England, United Kingdom
MeSH Terms
  • Community Mental Health Services
  • Costs and Cost Analysis
  • Home Care Services
  • Mental Disorders
  • Mental Health Services
Contact
Organisation Name: NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme
Contact Address: NIHR Journals Library, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre, Alpha House, University of Southampton Science Park, Southampton SO16 7NS, UK
Contact Name: journals.library@nihr.ac.uk
Contact Email: journals.library@nihr.ac.uk
Copyright: 2009 Queen's Printer and Controller of HMSO
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.