Bipolar disorder: a study about its relevance in the midwest area of the State of Minas Gerais

Abstract

This is a retrospective and exploratory study carried out in the São Bento Menni Clinic (CSBM) a reference for psychiatric hospitalization in the Midwest region of Minas Gerais. Its main objectives were to characterize the patients suffering from bipolar disorder syndrome and to identify its occurrence according to sex and age as well as the patient's origins, length of hospital stay, type of hospital discharge, type of hospitalization, and funding for services rendered to patient.The survey was based on data from the System of Hospital Admissions and medical records from the CSBM Medical Archives between 1980 and 2005. The sample consisted of 24.161 patients admitted to CSBM. Out of this 1.967 (8.1%) were diagnosed as suffering from bipolar disorder. Females formed the largest group with 1.167 (59. 3%), 455 were between the ages of 41 and 50 (23. 1%). 793 or 40. 3% were admitted on family request. Regarding the duration of hospitalization 1.070 (54. 4%) patients stayed in hospital for 30 days. Medical discharge was the highest with 1.685 (85.7%). 1.116 (56.7%) were readmitted (56.7%) and the funding came basically from the Public Health Service System (SUS) with 1.742 (88.5%) of paid admissions.