Mental health: the missing link in primary care? Health for All by the Year 2000 revisited.

The effects on the uptake of services offered in primary health care of a demonstration community mental health project in Pakistan were assessed. A subdistrict with the project was compared with a matched area without the project over 7 years. Routinely collected information on service use was used, including the detection and treatment of mental disorders. Compared with the comparison subdistrict, the index subdistrict showed an increase in use of primary care by men, reduction in pregnancy rate, increased use of antenatal care, reduced maternal mortality, increased immunization coverage, and increased detection and treatment of mental disorders.