Jm. Haro et al., UTILIZATION OF MENTAL-HEALTH-SERVICES AND COSTS OF PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA IN 3 AREAS OF SPAIN, British Journal of Psychiatry, 173, 1998, pp. 334-340
Background The analysis of the costs of schizophrenia and its treatmen
t under different, mental health care structures will facilitate the i
mproved allocation of the limited resources available for the treatmen
t of schizophrenia. The research we present compares health service us
e and total health care costs of three cohorts of subjects with schizo
phrenia which are representative of three areas of Spain (Burlada in N
avarra, Cantabria and the Eixample of Barcelona). Method We selected f
irst-time contacts with any psychiatric service who received a diagnos
is of schizophrenia. Subjects were evaluated in the third year after o
nset. Results The mean number of out-patient visits per patient per ye
ar was 10.7 and the mean in-patient days were 9.5.The mean direct cost
per patient in the third year of treatment was US$2243. Costs were hi
gher for single subjects and for people who had a relapse. Costs of su
bjects with better functioning were lower than costs of subjects with
a worse state. Conclusions Direct costs of care in Spain were lower th
an the reported figures from other western European countries. Costs w
ere greater in the two centres with greater community menial health se
rvice development. Some of the findings may be explained by service av
ailability.