Townsville University Hospital, Australia; and College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Australia.
Townsville University Hospital, Australia.
Australas Psychiatry. 2021 Apr;29(2):119-123. doi: 10.1177/1039856220928862. Epub 2020 Jun 4.
The primary aims were to compare the characteristics and health outcomes of consumers entering a regional mental health service compared with a city service.
A retrospective audit was undertaken of consumers aged 18 and over from a regional town and city mental health service. Consumer demographics, diagnoses and outcomes were compared between the two services. The data analysis plan utilised descriptive statistics. For between-clinic comparisons, relevant inferential statistics was used.
Regional service patients had a significantly greater proportion of substance use disorder diagnoses. Outcome rating scales were higher (worse) for regional consumers. There was significantly less overall service utilisation for regional service consumers including shorter duration of episodes of care, less hospitalisations and less people treated under the Mental Health Act.
There were a broader range of patient presentations in the regional town. Regional practitioners may specifically need more training and skills in treating substance use disorders.
本研究旨在比较进入区域性心理健康服务机构和城市服务机构的消费者的特征和健康结果。
对来自一个区域性城镇和城市心理健康服务机构的 18 岁及以上消费者进行回顾性审计。比较了两个服务机构的消费者人口统计学特征、诊断和结果。数据分析计划采用描述性统计。对于诊所间比较，使用了相关推断统计。
区域服务患者的物质使用障碍诊断比例明显更高。区域消费者的结果评估量表得分更高（更差）。区域服务消费者的整体服务利用率明显较低，包括护理时间更短、住院次数更少和更少的人根据《精神卫生法》接受治疗。
在这个区域城镇，患者的表现更为多样。区域从业者可能特别需要更多的治疗物质使用障碍的培训和技能。
