Patterns of psychiatric care in south Verona and Groningen. A case-register follow-up study

Confronti e prospettive nella utilizzazione dei Registri Psichiatrici dei Casi

Riassunto

Dopo una breve rassegna sui dati di confronto tra Registri Psichiatrici dei Casi (RPC) disponibili nella letteratura internazionale, vengono analizzati gli indici sociodemografici e i tassi standardizzati (per età e sesso) relativi alle attività assistenziali (anni 1987–90) svolte in cinque aree italiane di RPC. Gli indici socio-anagrafici sono risultati correlati con le caratteristiche urbano-rurali del territorio. In ognuna delle cinque aree di registro esisteva, alia fine del 1990, una rete di servizi considerata adeguata rispetto alle esigenze della popolazione. I tassi totali di prevalenza un giorno sono in lieve aumento in tutte le aree di RPC, mentre quelli di prevalenza un anno e incidenza hanno avuto un andamento piuttosto differenziato nelle varie aree. II ricorso al day-hospital è diventato mediamente piu frequente e l'attività territoriale è aumentata dappertutto. Sono diminuiti parallelamente i ricoveri. II fenomeno della lungodegenza è tuttora presente, anche se in forma ridotta, in alcune aree di RPC. I soggetti lungoospitati in comunità sono aumentati in un'area (Arezzo), diminuiti in un'altra (Caltagirone), mentre sono stabili nelle altre aree. I lungoassistiti sono aumentati in quattro aree e in lieve flessione nella quinta (Arezzo). Non e emersa una relazione tra livelli di assistenza psichiatrica erogata e caratteristiche della popolazione di riferimento. Secondo un punteggio assistenziale ponderato di costo lo sviluppo dell'attività assistenziale ha determinato un aumento dei costi a Verona-Sud e ad Arezzo, una diminuzione a Caltagirone e a Legnano e nessuna variazione a Portogruaro.

Parole chiave

servizi psichiatrici territoriali, registri psichiatrici dei casi, utilizzazione dei servizi.

Summary

After a brief review of the literatur on comparison between Psychiatric Case Registers (PCR), this paper analyzes sociodemografic data and 1987-1990 age/sex standardised rates of psychiatric treatment in five Italian areas with a PCR. There was a correlation between sociodemografic indices and urban-rural characteristics of the areas. At the end of 1990 the comprehensive community psychiatric service of each area was considered able to meet the needs of the population. During the four years of our survey, one-day prevalence rates were consistently slighty increasing, while one-year prevalence and incidence rates showed different trend in the five areas. Overall, there was a development of the community services and a decrease of psychiatric admissions. There were still few hospital long-stay patients in some areas, but what is more evident was the increase of the number of long-term patients (hostel long-stay patients and communiy long-term patients). No correlations were evident between levels of psychiatric treatment and characteristics of the populations in the five areas. The development of a comprehensive network of community services required an increase of the costs in Verona-Sud and Arezzo, a decrease in Caltagirone and Legnano, while there was no variation of costs in Portogruaro.

Psychiatric bed usage under different systems of care. A comparison of South Verona (Italy) and Canberra (Australia)

Scopo - Confrontare l'uso dei servizi ospedalieri per le principali malattie psichiatriche in una struttura che offre un «servizio psichiatrico territoriale» (Verona-Sud, Italia) con l'uso di questi servizi in una struttura più «tradizionale», dove l'ospedale è il centro dell'attività (Canberra, Australia). Disegno - Sono stati esaminati i registri dei ricoveri per i malati da psicosi schizofreniche e distimiche negli anni 1986, 1987 e 1988. Sono state comparate le seguenti caratteristiche: la mappa socio-demografica ed i tassi dei ricoveri per i pazienti, la durata del ricovero iniziale ed i tassi di ri-ricovero per questi pazienti nei dodici mesi seguenti. Risultati - Il servizio psichiatrico territoriale (Verona-Sud) ha ricoverato meno pazienti con psicosi schizofreniche e distimiche ma questi risultavano più gravi, restavano degenti più a lungo ed avevano una probabilità maggiore di essere ricoverati nuovamente. Il servizio psichiatrico «tradizionale» (Canberra) ha usato l'ospedale per una gamma più ampia di malattie, incluse le malattie con buona prognosi. La degenza in Canberra è stata più breve ed il ri-ricovero meno frequente. Sembra che il servizio «tradizionale» sia più orientato ad usare l'ospedale per l'inizio o per la stabilizzazione della terapia. Il servizio psichiatrico territoriale non portava ad una degenza più breve o ad un numero minore di ricoveri successivi al primo. Le differenze nella morbilità psichiatrica incontrata nelle popolazioni ha nascosto l'effetto della struttura del servizio sull'uso. Questa differenza nella distribuzione della morbilitù psichiatrica concentrata nel gruppo di più giovane età, rimane senza spiegazione.

What happens to patients seen only once by psychiatric services? Findings from a follow-up study

The aim of this study was to identify patient characteristics associated with once-only contact with a community-based mental health service (CMHS) and to re-evaluate these patients 3 months after the contact. A 33-month cohort of new episodes of care was followed up to identify and interview once-only contact patients. Of the 1101 patients who met the study criteria, 165 (15%) were discharged after the first contact, 87 (8%) dropped out after the first contact, 440 (40%) were low users and 409 (37%) were high users of the CMHS in the 90 days after the first contact. A higher score on the Global Assessment of Functioning scale, less severe psychiatric diagnoses and lower socioeconomic status were the factors most associated with once-only contact at baseline. At follow-up clinical conditions of patients who had only one contact (both discharged patients and drop-outs) had improved and, in most cases, they were in contact with other services. Drop-out patients, however, were more unwell and less satisfied with the initial contact. This dissatisfaction may have led these patients to seek help elsewhere. It is possible that some of these extremely low users are in need of a different or more specialized clinical treatment approach.

Trends in psychiatric hospitalisation of people with schizophrenia: a register-based investigation over the last three decades

The number of psychiatric beds has declined considerably in many countries over the past decades. Long-term studies on the impact of these health care changes for the severely mentally ill, however, are still scarce. This epidemiological study investigates the use of inpatient psychiatric services by people with schizophrenia, compared to that by people with other mental disorders. We used psychiatric register data of the Swiss canton Zurich to establish the annual treatment prevalence in the period 1977-2004. For patients with psychoses, the length of inpatient episodes decreased by half. The annual number of inpatient admissions doubled. The proportion of schizophrenia patients, which accounted for 36%-41% of all inpatient treatments up to 1993, dropped to 20% in 2004, while that of other psychoses remained about the same (8%-10%) throughout the study period. This contrasts with a 2-3 fold increase in other patient groups. The annual treatment prevalence for people with schizophrenia declined from 7.3 to 2.2 per 10000 population since the 1990s and affected patients of all ages and of both sexes equally. The treatment prevalence for other psychoses remained virtually unchanged (1.3 per 10000). For all other mental disorders, there was an up to twofold increase. The study suggests that the downsizing of psychiatric hospitals has resulted in a far-reaching redistribution of overall inpatient treatment resources. The considerable decrease in inpatient treatment for people with schizophrenia emphasizes the need to further investigate the current state of coverage for and the appropriateness of health care available to this patient group.

Determinants of once-only contact in a community-based psychiatric service

BACKGROUND

This study examined variables associated with patients who had a once-only contact with the out-patient department of a Community Mental Health Service (CMHS).

METHODS

Using the South-Verona Psychiatric Case Register (PCR), an 8-year cohort of patients who had a new episode of care with the out-patient department of the South Verona CMHS was followed up for 3 months after the first contact, to identify those patients who had no further contact with the service. Potential determinants of once-only contact were analysed.

RESULTS

A total of 2,446 new episodes of care met the inclusion criteria of the study. Of those, 734 (30%) were once-only contacts with the service. Compared to patients with more than one contact, patients who had a once-only contact were older, more likely to be male, had a lower socio-economic status and less severe psychiatric diagnosis. They were more likely to be referred by consultation/liaison or emergency room.

CONCLUSIONS

Multivariate analysis revealed that having a less severe psychiatric diagnosis was the most significant determinant of once-only contact with a CMHS. The results suggest that the behaviour of referring agents in selecting patients and preparing them for treatment merits further investigation.

[Therapeutic needs in psychiatric patients: a systematic review of the literature. I. General concepts and assessment measures. Needs for services]

OBJECTIVE

In Italy, mental health care is in phase of reorganisation. In this frame the measurement of users' needs may be a useful tool in planning individualised mental health service interventions and in their evaluation. Aims of the present study are (I) to highlight the basic concepts of 'needs for care' and give a brief description of the main needs assessment tools specifically developed for psychiatric patients; (II) to review studies assessing needs for mental health services in the general population; (III) to discuss the role played by the assessment of needs in planning mental health care.

METHODS

Studies published in the international literature from January 1980 to June 1999 were reviewed. The studies were located through a computerised search of the databases MEDLINE and PsycLit; in addition, the reference lists of the studies located through the computerised search and the content of main international psychiatric journals were manually scanned in order to avoid possible omissions. Studies assessing needs for services and studies assessing needs on individual level were separately reviewed. Both groups of studies, in turn, were divided in studies assessing needs for mental health care in the general population and in psychiatric patients.

RESULTS

Although most studies on needs for services used indirect methodologies and employed quite heterogeneous experimental design, they provide at large overlapping results. In the general population, about 60%-70% of patients with anxiety, depression and other neurotic disorders and 30%-40% of psychotic patients do not receive any specialist mental health care, suggesting that the majority of subjects suffering from a psychiatric disorder do not receive the mental health care they need.

CONCLUSIONS

Unmet needs for services show a higher frequency in patients with neurotic and depressive disorders, indicating a shortage in services delivery that should be taken into account both by psychiatrists and mental health planners. Moreover, the finding that a large number of patients suffering from psychotic disorders do not receive any kind of mental health care is of particular relevance for planning mental health services, since these subjects are usually the most problematic and difficult to treat.

Regional differences in the use of psychiatric hospital beds in Finland: a national case-register study

We investigated the possible differences in the utilization of psychiatric hospital beds among five social security areas in Finland, and the association between the variables related to the psychiatric services and the use of hospital beds. The use of hospital beds varied quite distinctly among these areas, as did the total rate of in-patients, readmissions, and rates of in-patients with psychotic and affective disorders. The treatment practices appeared to vary as the length of stay (LOS) and the rate of committal differed regionally in a significant manner. There was a significant positive correlation between the total rate of in-patients and the rate of readmitted patients (r=0.92, P<0.001), and a significant negative correlation between the number of visits per worker in out-patient care and the rate of readmissions (r=-0.94, P<0.001).

The Nordic Comparative Study on Sectorized Psychiatry: contact rates and use of services for patients with a functional psychosis

As part of a Nordic comparative study on contact rates of new patients and use of services in seven catchment areas, contact rates and use of services for patients with a functional psychosis during a 1-year follow-up period were investigated. The highest contact rates were found in two large city catchment areas in Stockholm and Copenhagen. Compared to other patients in the cohorts, patients with a functional psychosis were more often found to be unemployed and living alone. They also showed more extensive service use in terms of both voluntary and compulsory admissions, and in the use of day-care facilities. In addition, they were more often multiple users of in-patient care (> or =3 admissions during the follow-up period). Large differences in service use among patients with a functional psychosis were discovered between the catchment areas, with the most extensive use of voluntary in-patient care and day-care facilities in Frederiksberg. Patients most frequently had compulsory admissions in Bodö and least frequently had them in Frederiksberg. Out-patient services were most frequently used in Stockholm. Correlations between levels of resources and use of services for patients with a functional psychosis were in general low, except for the rates of short-term beds, which showed a strong and significant correlation with the number of days in voluntary in-patient care (r=0.89).

Service utilization: a pivotal measure in assessing service needs and service outcome

In past years the study of service utilization has given a great contribution to the evaluation of mental health services. Nowadays, the challenge that must be faced is to obtain from service utilization research useful knowledge for clinical practice and service planning.

Psychiatric care organization should be based on coherent and comprehensive assessments of the population's morbidity and needs for care, and take into account costs and benefits of different forms of treatments in relieving mental disorders and meeting mental health needs. While the former issue has been widely studied, the last two are mostly unexplored. Specifically, there is limited amount of information available on the significance that certain patterns of service utilization, or changes in service utilization, may have for the patient, his/her relatives and the community, and on the correlation between certain characteristics of service utilization and the overall quality of care.

In this perspective, service utilization must not be considered an isolated step in the patient's career; the causal link betweenneeds, use, andoutcomeof services should be identified. A full understanding of the role of service utilization in psychiatry thus necessitates taking into consideration events occurring at various steps of a person's history:

step 1: a person develops a mental disorder;

step 2: in certain cases this will determine a mental health service need;

step 3: in certain cases the service need will determine mental health service utilization;

step 4: use of mental health services will have a certain outcome.

Psychiatric case registers for monitoring service utilisation and evaluating its costs

Psychiatric case registers are systematic health information systems of a geographically delimited area that record the contacts with designated medical and social services of patients or clients from the area. The information is stored in a linked and cumulative file so that the care of any individual or group can be followed over time, no matter how complex the pattern of service attendance (Wing, 1989). They represent the evolution of older systems for recording data of clinical relevance, such asdisease registersto which hospitals and physicians used to report all cases of a certain diagnosis andhospital-based registers, which in general are based on aggregate data concerning patients who received care by a particular hospital or clinic (Häfner & an der Heiden, 1986).

Bennett & Trute (1983) pointed out that the term “information” has substantially wider connotations than the term “data”. In order to become “information”, data have to be placed within a framework and interpreted. This is true for all medical information systems, including those that collect limited data set, such as those about births, deaths, admissions to hospital, etc. (Wing, 1986).

A WHO Working Group held in Mannheim provided an agreed definition of a Psychiatric Case Register (PCR) which resulted in the following: “a Psychiatric Case Register is a patient-centered longitudinal record of contacts with a defined set of psychiatric services, originating from a defined population” (WHO, 1983).

The Nordic Comparative Study on Sectorized Psychiatry. Part V. Contact rates, contact patterns and care level at index contact

As part of a Nordic comparative study on sectorized psychiatry in seven Nordic catchment areas, a prospective investigation of contact rates of new patients and pathways to the psychiatric services was performed. The results showed that there was more than a twofold difference between the services in the total contact rates. Regarding diagnostic groups, contact rates for neurosis were predominant in three of the services, while adjustment disorders, dependencies and personality disorders were predominant in other the services. The contact rate of functional psychosis, as well as the ratio of psychotic patients to the total contact rate were highest in two catchment areas serving inner parts of big cities. The most common way of getting into contact with the services was by self-referral, 39.4% of total referrals, followed by primary care referrals, although there were large differences between the services. Psychotic patients made contact with the services to a significantly less extent by self-referral. The majority of patients were treated in outpatient care at entry to the services, with a large variation between the services. It was also found that inpatient care at index contact was predicted by clinical characteristics-a diagnosis of psychosis and a history of former inpatient care-as well as by social characteristics-male, widowed or divorced, sick pension/old age pension.

Do we still need mental hospitals?

“The debate is over” claimed a heading in a newspaper on the 1991 Amsterdam WHO conference ‘Changing mental health care in the cities of Europe’: “After half a century of debate of the issue of deinstitutionalisation the question is not any more if we should close the large mental hospitals, but what follows the closure and how to develop adequate community mental health care which replaces the functions of the mental hospital” (Gersons & Burns, 1992).

These ‘functions’ have actually secured the long-lasting success of the mental hospital which has been in the past and, to a certain extent, still is in a number of countries, the cornerstone of psychiatric care. It incorporates all the functions of a psychiatric system in a single, usually isolated facility, including crisis intervention, evaluation, treatment, aftercare, long-term custodial care, rehabilitation, etc. In order to phase down the mental hospital these functions have to be supplemented by newly established, discrete services disseminated in the community. The process is clearly a complex one, since it implies a transition from a system of care provided only in mental hospitals under medical direction, to one that is comprehensive in scope, community-orientated, and staffed by multidisciplinary teams.

The Nordic comparative study on sectorized psychiatry. Utilization of psychiatric hospital care related to amount and allocation of resources to psychiatric services

As a part of a Nordic comparative study on sectorized psychiatry, utilization of inpatient care was related to resources and dynamic qualities of psychiatric services in seven catchment areas in four Nordic countries. One-year treated incidence cohorts were used. Each patient was followed for 1 year after first contact with the psychiatric service. Data were collected concerning number of beds and staff, number of long-term patients and turnover rate of patients in inpatient care. Findings gave some support to the earlier reports that the utilization of inpatient care is determined by the supply of available beds. Highly staffed community services did not themselves reduce the use of inpatient services, but availability of day care services seemed to reduce utilization of inpatient care among psychotic patients.

The Nordic Comparative Study on Sectorized Psychiatry. III. Accessibility of psychiatric services, degree of urbanization and treated incidence

As part of a Nordic Comparative Study on Sectorized Psychiatry, accessibility of psychiatric services and degree of urbanization in seven catchment areas were related to treated incidence. One-year treated incidence cohorts were used. Accessibility was assessed according to referral practice, existence of a round the clock emergency service and geographical location of the services. Accessibility was surprisingly weakly associated with treated incidence. Easy access to the psychiatric services was not related to a high treated incidence of less severe psychiatric problems at the expense of patients suffering from severe illness. Geographical distance to the services did not predict the demand for services. A positive correlation was found between the degree of urbanization and treated incidence of psychoses but not of other diagnostic groups.

Service utilization by schizophrenic patients in Groningen and South-Verona: an event-history analysis

The question addressed to in this paper is whether severely mentally ill patients are treated differently in a community mental health service without the back-up of a mental hospital (south-Verona, Italy) compared with an institution-based system in which mental hospitals, although highly modernized, are still predominant (Groningen, The Netherlands). Using the psychiatric case-registers in both areas, the patterns of care in 2 years of follow-up of schizophrenic patients were constructed. Survival analysis was used to analyse in-, day- and out-patient episodes of care. Three-quarters of the Groningen and half of the south-Verona patients experienced at least one episode of hospitalization; 20% of the Groningen and 5% of the south-Verona patients were long-stay patients at the end of the observation period. The south-Verona patients had more episodes of in-patient and especially of day-patient and out-patient care. Cox's regression showed that the duration of episodes controlled for the history of events and sociodemographic characteristics, was significantly shorter in south-Verona. One of the main conclusion was that hospitalizations for the severely mental ill are also needed in a community-based system of care, supporting the assumption of a 'bed-rock' of mental illness. However, the south-Verona community mental health service seems to be able to reduce the duration of hospitalizations considerably.

The Nordic comparative study on sectorized psychiatry. II. Resources of the psychiatric services and treated incidence

As a part of a Nordic comparative study on sectorized psychiatry, treated incidence was related to the resources and dynamic qualities of psychiatric services in 7 catchment areas. One-year treated incidence cohorts were used. Data was collected concerning number of beds and staff, number of long-term patients and turnover rate of patients in the services and availability of specialized services. A positive correlation was found between rates of outpatient staff and treated incidence. No statistically significant correlation was found between the dynamic qualities of the services and treated incidence. Treated incidence of dependence was the highest in a center that had a special service unit for abusers. Special services for young and old people were not clearly reflected in treated incidence in respective patient groups.

Episodes of care for first-ever psychiatric patients. A long-term case-register evaluation in a mainly urban area

BACKGROUND

Psychiatric case registers (PCRs) are particularly useful for studying patterns of care over time. Methods of 'survival analysis' have rarely been used for assessing such data.

METHOD

A longitudinal study was conducted over 10 years (1 January 1982 to 31 December 1991) on 1423 first-ever psychiatric patients, using the PCR of South Verona, Italy. The product-limit method, the log-rank test, the Cox regression model and the Poisson regression analysis were used to analyse episodes of care and relapses.

RESULTS

The duration of the episodes of care increased consistently from the first to the fifth episode. The probability of opening a new episode of care after the first one increased consistently from the second to the sixth episode. The only variable significantly associated with the length of the first episode of care was diagnosis (highest probability of having longer episodes for schizophrenic patients), while the length of the breaks following the first episode of care was associated with diagnosis, sex and occupational status (highest probability of opening a second episode of care for schizophrenic subjects and those with alcohol and personality disorders, for males, and for unemployed patients). The probability of opening a new episode of care decreased with time since last contact and increased with number of previous contacts.

CONCLUSIONS

The community psychiatric service in South Verona is fulfilling its original aim, that is, to give priority to the continuity of care for patients with chronic and severe mental illnesses. Survival analyses proved to be useful methods for assessing episodes of care.

Patients dropping out of treatment in Italy

The aim of this study was to explore the extent and the specific features of drop-out for patients having a first contact with an university psychiatric outpatient clinic in Italy over the course of 1 year and to determine which variables were associated with early termination of treatment. Of the 158 patients selected for this study, there was an overall 3-month drop-out rate following the first visit of 63%. Of the 59 patients who had returned once after the initial contact, 28 interrupted subsequently the treatment, although the therapist's plan included further visits. The overall drop-out rate at 3 months was thus 82%. The only 2 variables associated with drop-out rates were the patients' perception of the severity of their disorder and the psychiatric history: continuing patients were more frequently in agreement with the clinician's judgment as compared with those who dropped out and were more likely to have already been in psychiatric treatment.

Affective and neurotic disorders in community-based services: a comparative study in south Verona and south Manchester

The service utilization by patients with affective and neurotic disorders in two defined populations of south Verona in Italy and south Manchester in England was compared. The composition and function of the two community-based psychiatric services, and the sociodemographic characteristics of the two centers are described and related to epidemiologically based data on service use in the community, outpatient clinic, day hospital and inpatient care. The results suggest that close liaison with primary care in south Manchester results in more referrals, and therefore higher treated incidence and prevalence rates. The close integration between hospital and community staff in south Verona is associated with greater permeability of the filter between inpatient and community care, indicated by higher admission rates for patients known to the service, and shorter length of inpatient stay (only for affective disorders) in south Verona compared with south Manchester.

A comparison of community-based care for schizophrenia in south Verona and south Manchester

BACKGROUND

The community-oriented mental illness services providing care to defined populations in south Verona, Italy (17,628 adults) and south Manchester, England (12,021 adults) have been compared to explore relationships between service organisation and patterns of service use.

METHOD

The composition and function of the two services and the sociodemographic characteristics of the two centres are described and related to epidemiological data on service use in the community, out-patient clinic, day hospital and in-patient care.

RESULTS

Treated incidence of all psychiatric diagnoses and of schizophrenia were significantly higher in south Manchester than south Verona, indicating that the referral filter between primary and secondary care is more permeable in Manchester. Patients known to the service were more likely to be admitted and to have shorter in-patient stays in south Verona, indicating that the filter between in-patient care and the community is more permeable in Verona than Manchester.

CONCLUSIONS

The organisation of services in Verona results in a smaller load on the mental health service; the shorter hospital stays can be related to better integration between hospital and community resources. The organisation of services in Manchester provides care for a greater proportion of the population, but would be likely to require increased resources for the mental health services over time.

Utilization patterns of community mental health services by newly referred patients

The present study compared the pattern of service utilization over a 1-year period, of 349 newly referred adult patients to the four community mental health clinics in Jerusalem. Treatment in these clinics is provided free of charge and there are no limits on length of treatment. Irrespective of patient diagnosis and clinic setting, the percentage of patients remaining in contact with the clinics declined sharply during the first 3 months, and after 6 months stabilized to around 25-40%. However, among patients with nonmajor psychiatric disorders, inter-clinic variation in compliance with treatment was observed. In clinics with a long-term psychotherapeutic orientation, a larger proportion of patients was referred to other services following intake, and a larger proportion of patients dropped out of treatment. In these clinics, more patients were placed on waiting lists before beginning treatment, and the drop-out rate among these patients was significantly higher than that of patients in treatment. The implications of these results for treatment policy in public services are discussed.

Inpatient care in an eastern and a western European area. A comparative case-register study

Inpatient point-prevalence and admission rates in both mental hospitals and psychiatric wards in general hospitals in East Bohemia and in Drenthe (the Netherlands) were compared. A higher point-prevalence rate was found in Drenthe as there was a higher rate of long-stay patients. However, in East Bohemia the admission rates were higher for all diagnostic categories, except for neuroses, the admission rates for neuroses were twice as high in Drenthe. The differences were explained by the availability of complementary in-patient services and more developed out- and day-patient facilities in Drenthe.

Utilization and patterns of care in comprehensive psychiatric care organizations. A review of studies and some methodological considerations

This article reviews and analyzes studies on the utilization of care and patterns of care in psychiatric care organizations with a defined catchment area responsibility. Eight studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The main results of the studies were reviewed with regard to distribution of utilization, typical patterns of care, sociodemographic characteristics, clinical characteristics and, when appropriate, organizational characteristics related to utilization. The results show that a small proportion of patients use a large proportion of resources. Sociodemographic factors such as living alone or having no occupation in some of the studies predicted a higher utilization. Only one study reported sex differences, men being more common among heavy users. In most of the studies a psychosis diagnosis predicted a higher utilization. A history of prior contacts with psychiatric care predicted a higher utilization in 2 studies. It is concluded that future studies should make efforts to develop standardized models of classification of patterns of care to enhance possibilities of comparisons. Cost, as a common unit for summarizing and comparing resource utilization, has not been used, but is viewed as a highly relevant measure. Furthermore, measures of utilization should be separated from evaluations of outcome or quality of care. However, the latter is a neglected area that should also be promoted in studies of utilization of psychiatric care to create knowledge of the relationship of utilization to outcome.

Social indicators and psychiatric admission rates: a case-register study in The Netherlands

Environmental as well as individual socio-demographic and illness characteristics are related to the risk of admission. This paper addresses the problem of the interrelationships of these factors to admission rates. Using the Groningen Psychiatric Case Register, admission rates (during 1986 and 1987) from 34 administrative areas were calculated. Logit models were fitted in order to test the relationship between the relative risk of being admitted and sex, age, marital status, diagnosis, urbanization and distance from facilities. The effect of urbanization remains under the control of the other independent variables. The concept of 'need for care', related to 'true' and 'treated' incidence, is discussed.