The use of psychiatric facilities by depressives: results of the Upper Bavarian Study.
Utilization of psychiatric facilities by noninstitutionalized persons aged 20 years and older, identified as "depressive cases", was examined. Data were based on the representative community sample of the Upper Bavarian follow-up field study with an original sample size of 1668 people. In the 5-year follow-up 1384 (83%) subjects were interviewed, while 80 subjects (4.8%) had died. The 5-year prevalence of depressive disorders, according to the definition used, was 10.3%. We analyzed which people with depressive disorders sought help from mental health professionals according to type of depressive disorder, sociodemographic data, psychosocial factors and course of disorder. The psychiatric treatment rate (in- or outpatient) was 23.9% of the depressive cases. The majority of treated persons were outpatients. Patients with the diagnosis of endogenous depression were most likely to have received psychiatric treatment. Limitation in the ability to work due to depression was the most important psychosocial factor influencing help-seeking behavior. The highest consultation rate in psychiatric facilities was obtained from the depressives who had grown up without their parents.
Meller
I
I
Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik, München, Federal Republic of Germany.
Fichter
M
M
Weyerer
S
S
Witzke
W
W
D000328:Adult; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005860:Germany, West; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D010553:Personality Development; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment