THE NORDIC COMPARATIVE-STUDY ON SECTORIZED PSYCHIATRY - PATIENTS WHO USE ONLY PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENT CARE IN COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES - A 1-YEAR FOLLOW-UP-STUDY

In the present paper a sample of patients using psychiatric in-patient care only is characterized and analysed with regard to characteristic s of the psychiatric services. This paper forms part of the Nordic Com parative Study on Sectorized Psychiatry, designed to investigate conta ct rates and use of psychiatric care by new patients in 7 catchment ar eas in 4 Nordic countries during a I-year followup. One-year treated i ncidence cohorts were used. The logistic regression analysis revealed that the variable 'psychiatric service' was one of the statistically s ignificant determinants of using only in-patient care during the follo w-up. The diagnostic groups with the highest probability of using only in-patient care were dependencies and functional psychoses. The follo wing factors were associated with a high risk of using only in-patient care: older age, being referred by another psychiatrist, having recei ved previous psychiatric in-patient care, male sex, being retired, and not living with one's parents or a partner. Patients who used only in patient care had fewer admissions and days in in-patient care than oth ers during the 1-year follow-up period. Lack of 24-hour emergency serv ices in out-patient care correlated positively with the use of only in -patient care.