Frequent Emergency Department Use by Individuals Seeking Mental Healthcare: A Systematic Search and Review

AbstractObjective m of this study was to compare research on individuals who frequently use the ED for mental health complaints including parameters used to identify the population, as well as socio-demographic, clinical, and service use factors. s atic search and review of Medline, Cinahl, PsycInfo, and HealthStar (1980 to 2011). Double-data extraction ensured accuracy. Descriptive statistics were reported. s en studies were included. Median sample size was 100. Parameters varied across studies. Profile: young, unemployed males living in transient accommodations, diagnosis of a psychotic disorder, self-referral to the ED for symptoms/unmet needs, and discharge to community resources. sions tently used, meaningful definitions/parameters are needed.