Mental health care in the primary health care setting: a collaborative study in six countries of Central America.
The results of a naturalistic epidemiological study conducted in 6 Central American countries in collaboration with the WHO/PAHO Regional Office are reported, aimed at describing the patients with mental distress presenting to the primary health care setting, the interventions enacted and the evolution of the patients over the 6 months following recruitment. A total of 812 patients were recruited by the personnel of 11 primary health care centres. A high degree of heterogeneity was observed with respect to the patients' characteristics and the patterns of care provided. The factors potentially contributing to the heterogeneity, identified through multivariate analyses, are discussed in detail against the specific background differences between countries and between areas within each country. Interestingly albeit expectedly, besides the differences in health care provision and availability, social needs appear to influence both interventions and outcomes.
Istituto de Richerche Farmacologiche, Milan, Italy.
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B
Saraceno
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E
Terzian
F M
FM
Barquero
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G
Tognoni
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002489:Central America / Q000453:epidemiology; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use