[Sectorized psychiatry. Ambulatory psychiatry in a geographically defined region]

The article describes the psychiatric outpatient treatment service in the catchment area of the county of Roskilde in Denmark. Eighty-four general practitioners, ten private practising psychiatric specialists and the psychiatric outpatient service at Roskilde Amts Sygehus Fjorden participated in a prospective cohort study based on questionnaires. This includes 404 patients from general practice, 326 from the psychiatric specialists and 166 from the psychiatric hospital. The patients' social conditions, demographic data, psychosocial problems, psychosocial strain, diagnoses, and the treatment are presented. Psychotics constitute 52% of the patients from the outpatient treatment service corresponding to 25% from specialist practice and 12% from general practice. The most common diagnoses at specialist level are neuroses and crises, in general practice, in addition, psychosomatic illness and depression without psychoses. The treatment for most of the patients is psychotherapy or in combination with psychopharmacology. Further acute psychiatric service and supervision are required. One year follow-up has been accomplished. Follow-up reviews after five and ten years are planned.