[Evaluation of day hospital care. Improvement factors and chronicity factors]

From a long term study, the authors analyse the becoming of a 337 psychiatric patients cohort, treated in a day hospital. They examine particularly the correlations between the results (individual and institutional), the primary therapeutic objective and the means employed to reach it. The factor analysis of correspondence (Benzecri's method) permitted them to point out and classify some groups related to the therapeutic projects and their destiny. The relation between the length of stay (cost indicator), the means employed (mean indicator) and the results obtained (result indicator), requires a very thorough analysis to evaluate the possible determinants of health economy studies.