THE NORDIC COMPARATIVE-STUDY ON SECTORIZED PSYCHIATRY .1. TREATED POINT PRE VALENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES

Comparative studies relating characteristics of psychiatric services t o rates of treated prevalence are scarce. As part of a Nordic comparat ive study on sectorized psychiatry, a point-prevalence study was perfo rmed in 5 sectorized psychiatric services with comprehensive service f acilities for a defined population under responsibility. The rates of treated prevalence on a census day were related to a number of charact eristics of the respective services and to accessibility of care. The results showed a great variation in one-day point prevalence in the 5 services, with almost fourfold differences. There were also marked dif ferences in the diagnostic distribution of the cohorts. A positive cor relation was found between number of beds and point prevalence, measur ed both as total point prevalence and impatient prevalence. The rates of beds and psychiatrists were most strongly related to the prevalence of patients with organic disorders and functional psychoses. A closed referral system was associated with a lower level of treated prevalen ce.