Management of mental health care in general hospitals: A psychosocial perspective on clinical hospitalizations

Abstract

This is an exploratory and descriptive study conducted from January 2019 to March 2020, based on secondary data. The quantitative approach allowed us to understand the statistical dimension of the studied object. A total of 549 electronic medical records with psychiatry and psychology consultations during hospitalizations in the units of internal medicine, oncology, general surgery, and gynecology/obstetrics from January 2015 to November 2019 were reviewed. A total of 2% of the demands were identified as mentais health-related, and of the 283 psychiatric interconsultations, 72% had a diagnostic hypothesis of mental disorder. Among the 406 hospitalized users, 49.7% were adults, 80.3% were female, 53.4% were from Maceió, and 28.8% had low educational levels. The findings highlight the challenge of investing in management to ensure that mental health care in general hospitals of the SUS is built through a comprehensive, articulated, and integrated clinical approach in networks, intersectoral, and in line with the guidelines of the brazilian psychiatric reform.