2017 Volume 6 Issue 1 Pages 28-36
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristics of mentally ill persons who are identified as being difficult cases by public health nurses as a result of neighbors’ complaints, and who eventually receive psychiatric treatment.
Methods: We analyzed the results of anonymous self-administered mail survey questionnaires that were answered by 261 public health nurses who were in charge of mental health care in 53 municipalities (valid response rate: 39.6%). The cases were divided into 2 groups based on the mentally ill person received psychiatric treatment as a result of the neighbors’ complaints or not. We conducted logistic regression analysis to investigate related factors for receiving psychiatric treatment as a result of neighbors’ complaints.
Results: Among the 261 persons, 156 received psychiatric treatment as a result of neighbors’ complaints (59.8%). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that mentally ill persons who were male (odds ratio [OR]=0.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.13–0.81), whose family assisted in visiting a psychiatric hospital (OR=10.14, 95%CI=2.67–38.51), who have an unsanitary appearance (OR=6.99, 95%CI=1.59–30.79), and having a fear of self-injury (OR=6.06, 95%CI=1.33–27.61) were more likely to receive psychiatric treatment as a result of neighbors’ complaints.
Conclusion: Our results indicated that mentally ill persons with lower self-care levels were more likely to receive psychiatric treatment as a result of the neighbors’ complaints, via the support of public health nurses.
