The disturbance in the care of the patient with mental disorder after discharge is considered as one of the most significant obstacles to establishing a stable recovery. So that discharge criteria must be well studied and standardized.

To determine the kinds of criteria being used in discharging patients from a psychiatry hospital.

We conducted a retrospective study in 60 patients (mean age : 34 years ± 10,8) how have been admitted in the university mental hospital B in Sfax, Tunisia on the first 7 months of this year. Data was collected from patient files.

Patients were admitted for psychotic disorders in 67,8% of cases, mood disorders in11%, personnality disorders in 11,7% and mental retardation in 6,7% of cases.

Fourteen criteria were identified. Those criteria were dominated by the stop of agitation and decreased of aggressivity in 68.3% of cases, acceptance of treatment in 46.7% of cases, self-criticism of his disoder in 31.7% of cases, the disappearance delirium in 13.3% of cases. 10% of these patients escaped from the hospital and 8.3% came out after against medical advice.

There seems that exit psychiatric hospital criteria are subjectives and diverses. Those criteria take into consideration as well as clinical features, social conditions of the patient, making it necessary to develop a standardized list of discharge criteria and discuss uses for such criteria.