EPA-1702 – First visits of a local mountain psychiatric service

Abstract

Introduction We analyzed the first visits carried out by a local mountain psychiatric service in 9 months from January to September 2013. Objectives and Aims Analyze the mode of access to the service, and the continuation of the course of treatment. Methods Different variables were considered: sex, how to access, the level of urgency, the prescription drug, the previous psychiatric history, duration of taking charge and sending to other facilities of the Mental Health Department. Results The total number of patients was 176, of which 64% were female; scheduled visits were the most (146), the remaining (30) were urgent. The majority (110) were sent from their GPs, among these, more than half (63) are still in load. Half had a positive psychiatric history, and most (92) had a positive psychiatric drug history. It was set to a drug therapy to the majority of patients visited (147), especially anxiolytics (112) and secondarily antidepressants (109). A small part was hospitalized (3) or sent to Psychogeriatrics (11) or Pathological Addictions or Clinical Psychology; about one-third (57) were discharged. Conclusions According to the literature the women access more frequently than men. From the data it can be inferred that submissions by GPs have become more appropriate in the course of time and that send to the specialist after trying a first drug therapy. The use of anxiolytic drugs remains an issue of clinical practice.