[Role of the family physician in the care of chronic psychiatric patients; an epidemiological study].
OBJECTIVE
To determine how many chronic psychiatric patients were treated by mental health care institutions, by general practitioners (GPs) or not at all, and in the last two groups why there was no contact with mental health care.


METHODS
Questionnaire.


METHODS
The district 'West-Friesland' in the Netherlands, a densely populated rural area.


METHODS
GPs and mental health workers checked their practice files on the basis of 6 criteria for the number of chronic psychiatric patients with or without mental health care contact.


RESULTS
The response among GPs was 43% and that among mental health institutions almost 100%. A prevalence rate of 4.0 per mill was found for chronic mental disorders. On the reference date (June 30, 1990) 79% of the chronic psychiatric patients was in the charge of mental health care, 15% of GPs, 1% of other institutions and 5% were not taken care of (the last percentage was probably underestimated). The support the GP gave was of the same frequency as the support of the ambulatory mental health care. The three main reasons for support by GPs, without contact with mental health care, were patients denying psychiatric problems, patients lacking motivation for supplementary help and the possibilities the GPs saw to support the patients themselves.


CONCLUSIONS
An important minority of the chronic psychiatric patients were supported by a GP only. In half of these cases the GP thought he could continue to provide the mental care needed.
Kroon
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Nederlands centrum Geestelijke volksgezondheid, afd. Diagnostiek en Behandeling, Utrecht.
Hutschemaekers
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D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence
De rol van de huisarts in de zorg voor chronisch psychiatrische patiënten; een epidemiologisch onderzoek.