UTILIZATION OF MENTAL-HEALTH-SERVICES AND COSTS OF PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA IN 3 AREAS OF SPAIN

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.