The impact of Psychiatric Reform on inpatient services in a metropolitan area of Southern Italy: the Naples case.
Six years after the Psychiatric Reform, phasing out of Mental Hospital and implementing a community based Mental Health System, i.e. the main goals of the Reform, are not yet performed in Southern big cities of Italian peninsula. In Naples metropolitan area this new Mental Health policy faces with a dramatic lack of community services. This paper summarizes data concerning the trends in psychiatric admissions to some inpatient public settings of Naples before and after the Reform, with the intent of pointing out the short-time outcomes of this law in a highly populated area. The Authors stress some positive results of the Reform in the study area, as well as the factors which have contributed to the inadequate application of the new law.
D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000639:trends; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends*; D003688:Deinstitutionalization / Q000639:trends; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000639:trends*