title: Pathways to psychiatric care in Eastern Europe.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There has been almost no research into mental health services in Eastern Europe. A pathways study is a quick and useful starting point, requiring few resources.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To improve understanding of prior care-seeking and treatment of new patients seen at mental health services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pathways diagrams were drawn showing the routes of care-seeking for 50 new patients in eight centres. Patterns of care-seeking, durations and previous treatments were compared for ICD-10 diagnostic groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The diagnoses varied according to the organisation of services. Major pathways included general practitioners, direct access and hospital doctors. General practitioners have a limited role as 'gatekeeper' in centres in Albania, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia-Montenegro, and rarely prescribed treatment, except sedatives, for mental disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings highlight areas that require attention if aspirations for community-oriented mental health care are to be realised, particularly integration of mental health into primary care.
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester and Lancashire Care NHS Trust, Preston, UK. richard.a.gater@manchester.ac.uk
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gater
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jordanova
authors.forename: Nadja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maric
authors.forename: Valbona
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alikaj
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bajs
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cavic
authors.forename: Hristo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dimitrov
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iosub
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mihai
authors.forename: Andreea Silvana
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Szalontay
authors.forename: Hanfried
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Helmchen
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sartorius
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005061:Europe, Eastern; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires