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Pathways to psychiatric care in Cantabria
J L Vázquez-Barquero1, S Herrera Castanedo, J A Artal
1Social Psychiatry Research Unit of Cantabria, University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, Cantabria University, Santander, Spain.
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
|October 1, 1993
Summary
Newly referred mental health patients in Cantabria, Spain, experience short referral delays. Somatic symptoms are common, and psychotropic medication use is high, particularly for women.
Area of Science:
- Mental Health Services Research
- Healthcare Delivery Systems
- Public Health
Background:
- Investigates patient referral pathways to mental health services in Cantabria, Spain.
- Part of a World Health Organization multicentre research program on mental healthcare quality.
- Examines sociodemographic, medical, and service factors influencing referral delays.
Purpose of the Study:
- To delineate patient referral pathways in rural and urban health areas of Cantabria.
- To identify factors contributing to delays in mental health service referrals.
- To compare referral patterns and delays with other European centers.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of newly referred patients to mental health services.
- Comparison of referral pathways in rural versus urban health areas.
- Exploration of sociodemographic, medical, and service-related factors.
Main Results:
- In rural areas, patients primarily contact general practitioners before psychiatric services; urban areas show more contact with specialized and psychiatric services.
- Referral delays in Cantabria are short and comparable to European benchmarks.
- Somatic symptoms are the predominant presenting problem at both primary and mental health care levels.
- Psychotropic medication prescriptions are high in both hospital and general medical settings, with women receiving them more frequently than men.
Conclusions:
- Mental health referral pathways in Cantabria are efficient, with short delays.
- Somatic symptom presentation is a key factor in accessing mental health care.
- High rates of psychotropic medication use warrant further investigation, especially concerning gender disparities.