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Psychiatric admissions fall following the Christchurch earthquakes: An audit of inpatient data

Objective: Following the devastating earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, there was the widespread perception that the demand for inpatient mental health services would increase. However, our clinical observation was to the contrary, with substantial reductions in inpatient utilisation being noted. We therefore examined psychiatric bed occupancy and admission data to improve understanding of the impact of the disaster on mental health services. Method: We audited acute psychiatric bed occupancy and admission rates prior to and following a major earthquake. Results: After the earthquake, total bed occupancy reduced from an average of 93% to 79%. Daily admissions also reduced by 20.2% for the 30 days following the earthquake. All diagnostic groups, with the exception of the ‘Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders’ category, contributed to the reduction. No rebound to increased occupancy or admissions was seen over the study period. Conclusion: The study confirmed our clinical observation that demand for acute inpatient psychiatric services were markedly reduced after the February 2011 earthquake.