Emergency psychiatric consultation and the community mental health care model
Abstract
Introduction: Health care model evaluation in mental health is complex, and there is a lack of impact studies on those services, as well as on the Community Mental Health Care Model (CMHC). Emergency Psychiatric Consultation (EPC) is used as an indicator of results: it includes both real emergencies and unresolved demand. The Barros Luco Health Care Complex (BLHC) provides an opportunity to study the impact of the CMHC model: it provides EPC to two health services, South (SHS) and South-East (SEHS). The former has more widely implemented the CMHC model, and the counties of the SHS range in their implementation of the CMH model.
Objective: Compare the variation in rates of EPC in the BLHC by health service of origin, and by county within the SHS. Methodology: This is an observational retrospective study (2006-2007).
Counties within the SHS were categorized by implementation of the CMH model and distance to
the BLHC, and analyzed using Poisson regression models. Results: 11,760 EPC were analyzed.
A decrease in EPC rates can be observed, which is greater in the SHS and in the counties that have implemented the CMHC model. Nevertheless, counties with the CMHC model had incidence rate ratios (IRR) for EPC that were more than twice as high. After adjusting for distance and years, the IRR decreased (1.38 [96% CI 1.07-1.77]). There are differences in the decrease in EPC between counties that are not explained by the factors studied. Discussion: Greater development of the CMHC model could be associated with the decrease in EPC. There are limitations: short observation period, lack of adjustments for other confounding factors, imprecise categories.
