Nonattendance at a General Hospital Psychological Clinic in South Africa

Abstract

Over a 10-yr. period 11.6% of the 3738 patients referred to a general hospital's psychological clinic in South Africa did not attend their first appointments. Patients who had engaged in suicidal behaviours and those with somatoform symptoms were the predominant nonattenders, while those with depressive symptoms had the lowest nonattendance rate.