Analysis of inedible substance ingestion at a Japanese psychiatric hospital

ConclusionsDementia patients were overrepresented in the inedible substance ingestion incidents. Items they wore or applied to their bodies were often subject to ingestion, and such behaviours mostly occurred around meal time. Therefore, the nursing staff were able to discover them quickly and treat most of the cases free of serious consequences. In contrast, schizophrenic patients were underrepresented in the incidents, and most cases involved ingestion of detergent powder or cigarettes, resulting in more serious consequences and requiring treatment.

Source: Psychogeriatrics - January 26, 2017 Category: Geriatrics Authors: So Yayama, Chie Tanimoto, Shunji Suto, Kei Matoba, Tomomi Kajiwara, Masue Inoue, Yoshimi Endo, Miyae Yamakawa, Kiyoko Makimoto Tags: Original Article Source Type: research