The impact of primary mental health care in a prison system in Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the impact of a psychiatric service in a prison general hospital that refers prisoners with mental disorders to a separate forensic psychiatric hospital (FPH).


METHODS
Analysis of data on prison population and referrals to the FPH.


RESULTS
Despite a 10.9% increase in the overall prison system population over 3 years, referrals from the prison general hospital with the new psychiatric service to the FPH were reduced by 36.5%, whereas referrals from other prisons increased by 120.4%.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results demonstrate the efficiency of the new primary health care approach.
Taborda
J G
JG
WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. taborda@conex.com.br
Bertolote
J M
JM
Cardoso
R G
RG
Blank
P
P
D001938:Brazil; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011330:Prisons / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends