THE NORDIC COMPARATIVE-STUDY ON SECTORIZED PSYCHIATRY .3. ACCESSIBILITY OF PSYCHIATRIC-SERVICES, DEGREE OF URBANIZATION AND TREATED INCIDENCE

As part of a Nordic Comparative Study on Sectorized Psychiatry, access ibility of psychiatric services and degree of urbanization in seven ca tchment areas were related to treated incidence. One-year treated inci dence cohorts were used. Accessibility was assessed according to refer ral practice, existence of a round the clock emergency service and geo graphical location of the services. Accessibility was; surprisingly, w eakly associated with treated incidence. Easy access to the psychiatri c 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 dem and for services. A positive correlation was found between the degree of urbanization and treated incidence of psychoses but not of other di agnostic groups.