Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS): use in an Irish psychiatric outpatient population

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical utility and validity of the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) in an Irish catchment area psychiatric service. Method: One hundred consecutive outpatients were assessed using the HoNOS and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scales. Results: It was feasible to administer HoNOS in day-today clinical practice. There was a statistically significant correlation between the HoNOS and GAF scores. Attenders at the outpatient department had significantly lower HoNOS scores compared to individuals assessed on domiciliary visits or at the day hospital. Individuals with schizophrenia had significantly higher HoNOS scores compared to affective disordered patients. However, this difference was confined to the Social subscale of HoNOS. Conclusions: Although these findings indicate that HoNOS has significant convergent and criterion validity as a measure of psychiatric morbidity, its widespread use in day-to-day clinical practice may be premature.