title: [Comparative medical/social characteristics of psychiatric outpatients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to compare medical/social characteristics of psychiatric outpatients of rural and urban regions to optimize the activities of the regional mental health services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using an anonymous survey, 1042 psychiatric patients of the Orel Regional psychoneurological out-patient clinic have been examined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant differences in the access to professional psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care between rural and urban populations of the region were shown. To overcome the imbalance, decentralization of psychiatric care and its approach to the patients are needed.
authors.affiliation: Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Orel State University, Orel.
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Khritinin
authors.affiliation: Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Orel State University, Orel.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nekrasov
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services; D010045:Outpatients; D012424:Rural Population; D066252:Sociological Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population