Email this article 
Hide
Show all
Original Research
Frequency and reasons for missed appointments of outpatient mental health care users in the uMgungundlovu District
Submitted: 29 June 2017 | Published: 31 July 2018
About the author(s)
Lucelle Ramlucken, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health, South AfricaMaureen N. Sibiya, Department of Nursing, Durban University of Technology, South Africa
Abstract
Background: Over the years, there has been a rapid growth in the use of mobile technology which has been proven to increase treatment adherence. Short message services may improve service delivery through appointment reminders and improve communication between health care workers and patients. Missed appointments are becoming common amongst mental health care users, and this has a significant economic burden on mental health symptoms.
Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the frequency and reasons for missed appointments of outpatient mental health care users for their follow-up care in the uMgungundlovu District.
Method: This study used a quantitative survey. A non-probability convenient sampling method was used to select 182 participants at the psychiatric clinics.
Results: Of the 182 participants, results of the study indicated that n = 84 (46.2%) respondents had missed their appointment at some stage. Of the n = 84 (46.2%) respondents who had missed appointments, n = 28 (33.3%) had missed their appointment once, and n = 45 (53.6%) had missed their appointment 2–3 times. Most common reasons for missed appointments included mental health care users forgetting (n = 58; 69%), work commitments (n = 14; 16.7%), no transportation (n = 4; 4.8%) and financial constraints (n = 5; 6%).
Conclusion: The main reasons for missed appointments that were identified included forgetfulness, work commitments, lack of transportation and financial constraints. A significant number of participants (53.6%) had missed their appointments 2–3 times.
Keywords
Metrics
Total abstract views: 4736Total article views: 5741
Crossref Citations
1. The financial burden of noncommunicable diseases from out-of-pocket expenditure in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review
Adelakun Odunyemi, Md Tauhidul Islam, Khurshid Alam
Health Promotion International vol: 39 issue: 5 year: 2024
doi: 10.1093/heapro/daae114
2. Social domains of poor mental health: A qualitative pilot study of community stakeholders’ understanding and demarcation of mental illness and its interpretations in rural Nigeria
Saheed A. Lawal, Isaac A. Adedeji, Adesola Ogunniyi, David Henderson
Health Science Reports vol: 7 issue: 2 year: 2024
doi: 10.1002/hsr2.1922
3. Factors Associated with Family Involvement or Lack Thereof in Caring for Mental Health Care Users: A Qualitative Study
Nkhensani Florence Mabunda
Psychiatry International vol: 6 issue: 1 first page: 30 year: 2025
doi: 10.3390/psychiatryint6010030
4. Factors associated with non-adherence to clinic visits among patients with severe mental illness enrolled in the SMILE study in Uganda
Richard Stephen Mpango, Wilber Ssembajjwe, Godfrey Zari Rukundo, Philip Amanyire, Carol Birungi, Allan Kalungi, Rwamahe Rutakumwa, Jonah Ibanda, Christine Tusiime, Kenneth D. Gadow, Vikram Patel, Moffat Nyirenda, Eugene Kinyanda
BMC Psychiatry vol: 25 issue: 1 year: 2025
doi: 10.1186/s12888-025-07121-7
5. Impact of demographics and appointment characteristics on patient attendance in a university dental clinic
Laura Jade White, Kate Ellise Butler‐Howell, Naomie Nadon‐Hoysted, Madeleine Carly Schulz, Jeroen Kroon
Journal of Dental Education vol: 85 issue: 5 first page: 615 year: 2021
doi: 10.1002/jdd.12514
6. Medication non-adherence in re-admitted patients at a psychiatry hospital: A qualitative study
Gopolang E. Zwide, Zukiswa Tsolekile Dewet, Funeka B. Sokudela
South African Journal of Psychiatry vol: 31 year: 2025
doi: 10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v31i0.2345
7. Reasons for non‐attendance in youth mental health clinics: Insights from mobile messaging communications
Jeremiah Ayalde, Wei Soong, Shane Thomas, Polly McCann, Jennifer Griffiths, Craig Nicholls, Samir Heble, Milan Dragovic, Flavie Waters
Early Intervention in Psychiatry vol: 17 issue: 9 first page: 877 year: 2023
doi: 10.1111/eip.13379
8. Pattern and causes of missed appointments in a Nigerian Psychiatric Hospital: A cross-sectional study
Bassey Eyo Edet, Emmanuel Aniekan Essien, Emmanuel Omamurhomu Olose, Chidi John Okafor, Molly Unoh Ogbodum, Faithful Miebaka Daniel
Medicine vol: 103 issue: 24 first page: e38564 year: 2024
doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000038564
9. Closing the gap: addressing telehealth disparities across specialties in the sustained pandemic era
Saki Amagai, Edward Vonesh, James Adams, Yuan Luo
npj Digital Medicine vol: 7 issue: 1 year: 2024
doi: 10.1038/s41746-024-01201-w
10. Nurse managers’ views regarding patients’ long waiting time at community health centers in Gauteng Province, South Africa
Solly Ratsietsi Makua, Sisinyana Khunou
Belitung Nursing Journal vol: 8 issue: 4 first page: 325 year: 2022
doi: 10.33546/bnj.2096
11. Acceptability and Effectiveness of Text Message Reminders to Improve Patient Attendance During the Sociopolitical Crisis in Haiti: Telephone-Based Survey
Marcmy Presume, Charles Patrick Almazor, Jean Rony Quetant, Mathias Altmann
JMIR Formative Research vol: 10 first page: e77010 year: 2026
doi: 10.2196/77010
12. Clinical features associated with early drop-out among outpatients with unipolar and bipolar depression
M. Fornaro, S. Novello, A. Fusco, A. Anastasia, M. De Prisco, A.M. Mondin, P. Mosca, F. Iasevoli, A. de Bartolomeis
Journal of Psychiatric Research vol: 136 first page: 522 year: 2021
doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.10.025
13. Liraglutide and the management of overweight and obesity in people with severe mental illness: qualitative sub-study
Katharine Barnard-Kelly, Clare A. Whicher, Hermione C. Price, Peter Phiri, Shanaya Rathod, Carolyn Asher, Robert C. Peveler, Richard I. G. Holt
BMC Psychiatry vol: 22 issue: 1 year: 2022
doi: 10.1186/s12888-021-03666-5
14. Unpacking the role of transport inequalities among older adults for accessing healthcare in Bengaluru, India
Divya Sussana Patil, Ajay Bailey, Sobin George, Martin Hyde, Lena Ashok
Global Public Health vol: 18 issue: 1 year: 2023
doi: 10.1080/17441692.2023.2274438
15. Causes, impacts and possible mitigation of non-attendance of appointments within the National Health Service: a literature review
Rebecca Wilson, Yvette Winnard
Journal of Health Organization and Management vol: 36 issue: 7 first page: 892 year: 2022
doi: 10.1108/JHOM-11-2021-0425