ALMOST 18,500 PEOPLE were admitted to psychiatric units and hospitals in 2013, the Health Research Board has announced.

Some 18,457 patients were admitted – 51% were female and 49% male.

The figure increase from 18,173 in 2012.

The 55–64 year age group had the highest rate of admission, at 590.1 per 100,000 of the population, while the 18–19 year age group had the highest rate of first admissions, at 263.3 per 100,000.

Over half (55%) of all admissions were for single people.

As in previous years the unskilled occupational group had the highest rate of admissions (802.2 per 100,000) and first-time admissions (211.9 per 100,000).

56% of all admissions were to general hospital psychiatric units, 24% were to independent and private charitable centres and 20% were to psychiatric hospitals or continuing care units.

There were 415 admissions to all hospital types for under 18s in 2013, a reduction of 23 since 2012 (438).

There were 18,335 discharges and 144 deaths in Irish psychiatric units and hospitals last year.

This is an increase in the number of discharges from 17,986 in 2012, but a decrease in the number of deaths from 153.

Males accounted for 57% of all deaths and 78% of those who died were aged 65 years and over.

Diagnoses

The most common diagnosis recorded for all admissions was depressive disorders (28%), followed by Schizophrenia (20%), mania (11%) and alcoholic disorders (8%).

Involuntary admissions accounted for 11% of all admissions and 12% of first admissions. There was a marginal increase in the proportion of involuntary first admissions, up from 10.9% in 2012.

Almost one-third (30.4%) of all discharges took place within one week of admission. The vast majority (95%) of all discharges occurred within three months of admission.

Helplines

• Console 1800 247 247 – (suicide prevention, self-harm, bereavement)

• Aware 1890 303 302 (depression anxiety)

• Pieta House 01 601 0000 or email mary@pieta.ie - (suicide, self-harm, bereavement)

• Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19)

• Childline 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)

Read: “We really need to ask ourselves as a society how are we failing young people”

Read: “Mortified, we hope it’ll be grand”: Enda speaks out on male depression