Hospital and community based psychiatry: a comparative study between a Danish and an Italian psychiatric service

A Danish (Aarhus) institution-based and an Italian (South-Verona) community-based psychiatric service are compared. The incidence rates are 20/10,000 inhabitants in both areas with more psychotics and fewer neurotics in Aarhus. The admission rate as well as the one year rate of persons in in-patient care are about three times higher in Aarhus. Referrals to day and out-patient care, including home visits, are used 1.5-3.5 times as often in South-Verona, whereas the rates of persons in each of the three types of care are of similar size in the two centres. Geronto-psychiatric disorders are to a greater extent treated within the field of psychiatry in Aarhus. Compulsory admission rates are higher in Aarhus (3.7/10,000 inhabitants) than in South-Verona (1.3/10,000). Admission rates to private hospitals are 9.4/10,000 inhabitants in South-Verona against 3.0/10,000 in Aarhus.