Does additional care provided by a consumer self-help group improve psychiatric outcome? A study in an Italian community-based psychiatric service.
This study compares the two-year clinical and social outcome, the use of services and the direct costs of patients of the South-Verona Community Psychiatric Service who were members of a self-help group, with those who were not. Use of services and costs in the two years before the baseline were compared with those occurring two years after the baseline. Self-help subjects decreased their use of hospital stay as to number of admissions and days in hospital, with a reduction of costs; they were more satisfied as to work/education while non self-help matches presented an increase of unmet needs. Clinical and social outcome showed no significant difference. The findings suggest that consumer participation may possibly enhance the effects of psychiatric treatment on outcome.
Burti
Lorenzo
L
Section of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, Department of Medicine and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona--Italy. lorenzo.burti@univr.it
Amaddeo
Francesco
F
Ambrosi
Marta
M
Bonetto
Chiara
C
Cristofalo
Doriana
D
Ruggeri
Mirella
M
Tansella
Michele
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D012042:Registries; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012944:Social Support; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation