This paper has demonstrated a method of making a cross-national comparison of the outcome of hospitalization of psychiatric geriatic patients and has presented some findings from such a comparison. Further steps needed to improve this method have been indicated. The substantive results, (mainly that there is a faster discharge rate in New York than in London for psychogeriatric patients suffering from a functional disorder), cannot presently be generalized beyond the limited samples studied, but the need for further studies in this area is suggested.
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