[The needs of the population and the development of mental health services]

In 1988, the World Health Organization (WHO) invited the Mexican Institute of Psychiatry to participate in a multicentric collaborative four year programme including two basic projects. The first, entitled "Pathway study" for which a geographical area of Mexico city was selected, in which two psychiatric services of different institutions served the population. All new patients seen in a five week period were interviewed by an assistant researcher obtaining information about the following: a) onset of the actual episode of illness; b) the first and subsequent decisions to seek care; c) symptoms presented on each decision; d) treatments offered; e) time elapsed since onset of the disorder until the first decision to seek care; f) time elapsed from the latter until arriving to the psychiatric service and g) psychiatric diagnosis. This report presents the results, comparing both institutions, which differed on the socioeconomic status of the population served, as well as on some of the pathology presented. The time elapsed between the onset of the disorder and the first decision to seek care was different for the disorders and the kind of population. The delay between the first seek of care and the arrival to psychiatric services also showed differences. Strategies for intervention for both institutions are discussed as well as the utility of the research model used.