[Patterns of service utilization of mental health outpatients]

In light of the forthcoming implementation of national health reform, it is important to review and analyze data regarding the degree and pattern of outpatient, mental-health service utilization in Israel. The main questions this study addressed were: to identify the main groups of users of mental health care, and to determine the utilization patterns of these groups (by length, frequency, and type of treatment) and the profession of the caregivers. This study is based on the findings of the national survey of all adult users of ambulatory mental health services in 1 week in May 1986, and of a 1-week survey in 1994 of similar data from 7 mental health clinics. When patients were grouped into 2 main clinical categories according to the severity of their psychopathology (psychotic, major affective and organic disorders, vs. neurotic, adjustment and personality disorders) they showed different patterns of service utilization. The pattern of the first group was associated with the severity of the psychopathology, whereas the pattern of utilization of the second group was also associated with sociodemographic factors, which may reflect awareness of psychological problems and readiness to turn to mental health services. These factors may also affect the willingness of the caregiver to treat them.