BACKGROUND: There has been almost no research into mental health services in Eastern Europe. A pathways study is a quick and useful starting point, requiring few resources. AIMS: To improve understanding of prior care-seeking and treatment of new patients seen at mental health services. METHOD: Pathways diagrams were drawn showing the routes of care-seeking for 50 new patients in eight centres. Patterns of care-seeking, durations and previous treatments were compared for ICD-10 diagnostic groups. RESULTS: The diagnoses varied according to the organisation of services. Major pathways included general practitioners, direct access and hospital doctors. General practitioners have a limited role as 'gatekeeper' in centres in Albania, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia-Montenegro, and rarely prescribed treatment, except sedatives, for mental disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight areas that require attention if aspirations for community-oriented mental health care are to be realised, particularly integration of mental health into primary care.
BACKGROUND: There has been almost no research into mental health services in Eastern Europe. A pathways study is a quick and useful starting point, requiring few resources. AIMS: To improve understanding of prior care-seeking and treatment of new patients seen at mental health services. METHOD: Pathways diagrams were drawn showing the routes of care-seeking for 50 new patients in eight centres. Patterns of care-seeking, durations and previous treatments were compared for ICD-10 diagnostic groups. RESULTS: The diagnoses varied according to the organisation of services. Major pathways included general practitioners, direct access and hospital doctors. General practitioners have a limited role as 'gatekeeper' in centres in Albania, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia-Montenegro, and rarely prescribed treatment, except sedatives, for mental disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight areas that require attention if aspirations for community-oriented mental health care are to be realised, particularly integration of mental health into primary care.
Authors: Barbara Pavlova; Rudolf Uher; Eva Dragomirecka; Hana Papezova Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2009-07-19 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Mary Margaret Gleason; Andrei Zamfirescu; Helen L Egger; Charles A Nelson; Nathan A Fox; Charles H Zeanah Journal: Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2011-08-25 Impact factor: 4.785
Authors: P Ramakrishnan; A Rane; A Dias; J Bhat; A Shukla; S Lakshmi; B K Ansari; R S Ramaswamy; R A Reddy; A Tribulato; A K Agarwal; N SatyaPrasad; A Mushtaq; P H Rao; P Murthy; H G Koenig Journal: J Relig Health Date: 2014-12