The Characteristics and Types of Psychiatric Consultation for Insomnia Symptom in Hospitalized Patients

Jeon, Hansol; Ryu, Seung Ho; Ha, Jee Hyun; Jeon, Hong Jun; Park, Doo Heum

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to explore insomniac demographic characteristics and the type of consultation provided to hospitalized patients asked to the Department of Psychiatry for insomnia and to compare patient insomnia characteristics by consultation type.
METHODS
We performed a retrospective chart review of 4,966 patients who were hospitalized from August 1, 2005 to December 31, 2011 that received consultation in the Department of Psychiatry. Among them, 236 patients were referred for insomnia. We compared the differences in demographic characteristics and types of consultation between the insomnia patient group and other patient group. We also compared the difference between demographic characteristics and type of consultation by dividing total subjects into "˜with reconsultation' and "˜without reconsultation' groups.
RESULTS
Our results came from the analysis of 9,689 consecutive consultation requests. There were 4,966 patients that participated in the study over 6 years and 6 months. The overall consultation rate was 3.3% of all admissions and insomnia patients comprised 4.8% of those. The ratio of re-consultation for insomnia was 27.5%. There was no significant difference in mean age between the insomnia "˜with reconsultation group' and the insomnia "˜without reconsultation group', but the "˜with reconsultation' group had significantly more male patients and medical patients than the "˜without re-consultation' group. For insomnia patients, consultation types were in the order of Mending request (51.3%), Paralle request (36.6%), Complementary request (9.0%) and this composition differed from that of total admission patients.
CONCLUSION
Hospitalized patients referred for insomnia showed a higher proportion of male patients, lower rates of re-consultation compared with other patients, and most of these were for secondary insomnia. Each doctor should be aware of the possibility of inpatient insomnia, conduct positive assessments and referrals as necessary, and psychiatrists who might be asked for consultation need to prepare an active intervention with initial diagnosis and treatment, as well as recommendations for the timing of reconsultation.