THE NORDIC COMPARATIVE-STUDY ON SECTORIZED PSYCHIATRY .5. CONTACT RATES, CONTACT PATTERNS AND CARE LEVEL AT INDEX CONTACT

As part of a Nordic comparative study on sectorized psychiatry in seve n Nordic catchment areas, a prospective investigation of contact rates of new patients and pathways to the psychiatric services was performe d. The results showed that there was more than a twofold difference be tween the services in the total contact rates. Regarding diagnostic gr oups, contact rates for neurosis were predominant in three of the serv ices, while adjustment disorders, dependencies and personality disorde rs were predominant in other the services. The contact rate of functio nal 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 se rvices was by self-referral, 39.4% of total referrals, followed by pri mary care referrals, although there were large differences between the services. Psychotic patients made contact with the services to a sign ificantly less extent by self-referral. The majority of patients were treated in outpatient care at entry to the services, with a large vari ation between the services. It was also found that inpatient care at i ndex contact was predicted by clinical characteristics-a diagnosis of psychosis and a history of former inpatient care - as well as by socia l characteristics - male, widowed or divorced, sick pension/old age pe nsion.