[Epidemiology of long-term treatment]

Some results concerning psychiatric treatments in an epidemiological study are exposed. The hospitalisation's processes are analysed according to family and social particularities. The idea of a therapeutical system is useful to describe the complex interactions between psychopathological adaptation and environment dimensions. The long-term therapeutical systems have to cope with numerous handicaps with few resources, and its main purpose is to look for states of stability in the different areas of daily life.