Utilization of Psychiatric Clinical Rating Scales in Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital: A Retrospective Descriptive Study in a Naturalistic Setting.

Abstract

Background: Considering the importance of clinical rating scales in psychiatric evaluation and their academic relevance, this study assessed the extent to which they were utilized in a tertiary care teaching hospital during patients' hospital stays.

Methods: We did a consecutive sampling of patients' records and retrieved data from medical records of the patients admitted with the diagnoses of schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder (BPAD), and depressive disorder in the psychiatry wards. Data regarding the use of clinical rating scales (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), or Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS)) each week was collected and analyzed accordingly.

Results: Out of 50 case records retrieved, the majority (60%) were male. The sample mean age was 37.76 ± 12.78 years. Forty percent of the sample records had schizophrenia, 38% had BPAD-mania, and 22% had depressive disorders. The sample had an average inpatient hospital stay of 17.68 ± 8.25 days. At baseline, only 54% were administered respective clinical rating scales. At the end of the first week, 42% were assessed using clinical rating scales. At the end of the second and third weeks, only 35.9.1% and 13.3% of patients were monitored by rating scales, and the utilization rate declined further, with a downward slump in subsequent weeks.

Conclusions: Utilization of clinical rating scales was found to be low in our tertiary care teaching hospital. Postgraduate trainees need more exposure and formal training in applying psychiatric rating scales for better patient care.