Minimum and optimal numbers of psychiatric beds: expert consensus using a Delphi process.

ABSTRACT: The required minimum number of psychiatric inpatient beds is highly debated and has substantial resource implications. The present study used the Delphi method to try to reach a global consensus on the minimum and optimal psychiatric bed numbers. An international board of scientific advisors nominated the Delphi panel members. In the first round, the expert panel provided responses exploring estimate ranges for a minimum to optimal numbers of psychiatric beds and three levels of shortage. In a second round, the panel reconsidered their responses using the input from the total group to achieve consensus. The Delphi panel comprised 65 experts (42% women, 54% based in low- and middle-income countries) from 40 countries in the six regions of the World Health Organization. Sixty psychiatric bed

SUBMITTER: Mundt AP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8780043 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature