COMPARISON OF 2 CLINICS WITH REFERENCE TO AXIS 5 OF THE MAS - DIFFERENCE IN PATIENT POPULATIONS OR IN REGIONAL CONDITIONS

Comparison of two clinics with reference to axis 5 of the MAS: Differe nce in patient populations or in regional conditions? Objective: The u niversity departments of child psychiatry in Cologne and Berlin were c ompared to assess whether quantitative differences in reported abnorma l psychosocial situations (Axis 5 MAS of ICD-10) are due to a differen ce in patient populations or coding practices or to particular regiona l conditions. Method: Data were analyzed for 593 patients seen in Colo gne in 1992/93 and far 685 patients seen in Berlin in the same period. The broader social situation was described by sociodemographic data f rom the respective city. Results: Berlin showed about twice as many ps ychosocial stressors per patient as Cologne. Consistent relationships between axis 5 stress ratings and other parameters indicated the valid ity of the data. Only a few points of inconsistency in the data were f ound. The sociodemographic data for both cities revealed a greater num ber of single parents as well as a higher rate of suicide in Berlin. C onclusions: Indicators for the validity of the clinical data analyzed were found. Some special internal clinical and regional conditions wer e identified as contributing to the quantitative differences between t he two university departments.