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Changing pattern of mental health utilization in Hachijojima |
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| Authors: | HIROTO ITO PHD TOSHIO MORI PHD NAOKI KUMAGAI MD MASARU MIYAUCHI MD SEIICHI HARADA MD MOTOE YAMAMURA PHD RYOGO NAKANO MSC HIROSHI KURITA MD YUJI SASAKI MD |
| Affiliation: | Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo;Tokyo Kenbikyoin Foundation;Dokkyo University;Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo Metropolitan Matsuzawa Hospital, Tokyo, Japan;Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan;Tokyo Teishin Hospital, Tokyo, Japan;Tokyo Institute of Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan |
| Abstract: | Abstract We have reviewed retrospectively 229 patients interviewed by the mental health team in the Hachijojima since the establishment of our services in 1987. The 6 year observation period was classified into three chronological stages for the purposes of identifying any change in the utilization pattern of the mental health services of the island. The rate of schizophrenia was observed to have decreased from 48% in the first 2 years of the study period to 28% in the last 2 years; while that of other mental disorders increased yearly. Interestingly, an increasing number of patients were referred to our services by professionals in areas other than mental health (from 42 to 77%), and patients without any history of psychiatric treatment were more frequently seen (from 36 to 75%) in the later part of the study period. These changes suggest the importance of access to mental health services. |
| Keywords: | community mental health health policy psychiatric outpatient clinic. |