BACKGROUND: Mental health services should be provided on the basis of need. This study investigated a representative sample of patients attending a community-based psychiatric service. The aim was to identify the profile of patients with higher needs for care, by considering a full range of potential demographic, clinical, social and service correlates. METHODS: A total of 268 patients using mental health services in South Verona, Italy, had cross-sectional assessments of their needs (using the Camberwell Assessment of Need), symptomatology, disability, functioning, quality of life, service use and satisfaction with care analysed using linear regression. RESULTS: A model comprising being male, being unemployed, having high symptomatology and disability, having low functioning and self-reported quality of life, and a high number of outpatient and community contacts accounted for 67% of the variance in total level of need. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who meet any of these criteria may be more likely to have higher needs, which has implications for clinical practice and audit. Assessment of needs for care by using the CAN provides a good overall measure of the number and the severity of a patient's problems in several key areas of everyday life.
BACKGROUND: Mental health services should be provided on the basis of need. This study investigated a representative sample of patients attending a community-based psychiatric service. The aim was to identify the profile of patients with higher needs for care, by considering a full range of potential demographic, clinical, social and service correlates. METHODS: A total of 268 patients using mental health services in South Verona, Italy, had cross-sectional assessments of their needs (using the Camberwell Assessment of Need), symptomatology, disability, functioning, quality of life, service use and satisfaction with care analysed using linear regression. RESULTS: A model comprising being male, being unemployed, having high symptomatology and disability, having low functioning and self-reported quality of life, and a high number of outpatient and community contacts accounted for 67% of the variance in total level of need. CONCLUSIONS:Patients who meet any of these criteria may be more likely to have higher needs, which has implications for clinical practice and audit. Assessment of needs for care by using the CAN provides a good overall measure of the number and the severity of a patient's problems in several key areas of everyday life.
Authors: J Williams; M Leamy; V Bird; C Harding; J Larsen; C Le Boutillier; L Oades; M Slade Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2012-02-10 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Maya Semrau; Mark van Ommeren; Monica Blagescu; Andre Griekspoor; Louise M Howard; Mark Jordans; Heidi Lempp; Anita Marini; Jon Pedersen; Isabelle Pilotte; Mike Slade; Graham Thornicroft Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2012-08-16 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Alessandra Benedetti; Stefano Pini; Giovanni DE Girolamo; Carmen Berrocal; Antonio Tundo; Pierluigi Morosini; Giovanni Battista Cassano Journal: World Psychiatry Date: 2009-06 Impact factor: 49.548