An urban Italian study on emergency room utilisation by immigrants suffering from mental disorders in Rome, 2000-2004.
OBJECTIVE
To compare Emergency Room (ER) utilisation by subjects diagnosed as suffering from a mental disorder, who were born in Strong Migratory Pressure Countries (SMPC) or in Italy. To evaluate the predictors of admission to psychiatric and to non-psychiatric wards.


METHODS
Data collected from Information System of Emergency Rooms were analysed. ER contacts in the years 2000-2004 pertaining to subjects who received a psychiatric diagnosis (ICD9-CM codes), and who were born in SMPC or in Italy were examined. "Contacts" included a total of 68,867 assessments made in the ER of all general hospitals in Rome having an acute psychiatric ward. Gender, age and clinical information on SMPC-born and Italian-born patients were compared. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed in order to determine risk factors for admission to a psychiatric or to a non-psychiatric ward.


RESULTS
At the end of follow-up, 11.7% of ER contacts concerned patients born in SMPC. Compared to the Italian-born group, these patients were younger and received more frequently a diagnosis of "Alcohol and substance abuse and dependencies", while admissions to a psychiatric ward were significantly less common.


CONCLUSIONS
Monitoring health service utilisation may provide relevant information for the delivery of culturally sensitive mental health services.
Gaddini
A
A
Agency for Public Health, Lazio Region, Rome, Italy. gaddini@asplazio.it
Franco
F
F
Biscaglia
L
L
Di Lallo
D
D
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012384:Rome; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data