[Demographic determinants in using a psychiatric polyclinic]

A sample of 500 patients of the Basle University Psychiatric Outpatient Department was analyzed regarding a number of demographic variables. The 390 patients in the sample who lived in the canton (municipality) of Basle-City were compared with the respective population of this urban area. There were significant differences in the utilization of outpatient psychiatric services depending on age, marital status and housing area. No significant sex-difference could be found. In addition--due to the relatively small sample--there were also no significant differences of diagnoses, although certain trends were visible.