title: A community-based mental handicap out-patient clinic: a 5-year retrospective study.
abstract: A 5-year retrospective study of mentally handicapped patients referred to the only community-based mental handicap out-patient clinic in a county with an approximate population of 360,000 is presented. The clinic has been functioning for about 10 years and has been consultant-based. Areas for study include: referral rate; source of referral; degree of handicap; superimposed mental illness, behaviour disorder and epilepsy; and the proportion of patients needing admission to the unit for further assessment/treatment. Some implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Mental Handicap Unit, Llwyneryr Hospital, Swansea, Wales.
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Radhakrishnan
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008875:Middle Aged; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology