Kiesler and Sibulkin (in press) reanalyzed various national data bases to develop a comprehensive view of mental hospitalization in the United States. The present article, based upon Kiesler and Sibulkin, summarizes characteristics of inpatient psychiatric episodes in general hospitals and, in particular, focuses upon episodes in general hospitals without inpatient psychiatric units. We review and update these data and discuss several recent studies employing other data bases. Desirable elements for a national data base on mental hospitalization are discussed from a behavioral science perspective.
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