[An analysis of community mental health services at public health centers in the Tokyo metropolitan area--services for 727 new cases during 5 years in Bunkyo-Ward].

For an overview of the community mental health services at Public Health Centers (PHCs), cases were statistically analyzed from the aspect of 3 points: the situation of psychiatric treatment at initial contact (psychiatric treatment), the person who had been living with the case at first contact (living style) and the person who contacted the PHC first (first contact person). During approximately 5 years, 463 new cases contacted the 2 PHCs in Bunkyo-Ward for consultation. Among them, 132 were under psychiatric treatment, 324 under no treatment and 7 unknown. Additionally, 264 were found to be registered on official documents, some of whom received PHC services after being listed. The percentage of schizophrenic cases in the psychiatric treatment group at first contact were higher than in the non-treatment group. More cases with psychiatric treatment were visited by PHN than without treatment. There were great differences in the first contact person among the groups classified according to living style. Especially, in the non psychiatric group, the percentage of the first contact person being other than family and relative was higher in the group who had been living alone than any other groups. Percentages of personal interview of a case, consultation by a psychiatrist in PHCs, and visiting the home of a case were different among the groups classified by psychiatric treatment, living style and first contact person. However, no difference in services outcome (total number of contacts made by a cases, relatives of cases, and other related persons), or present service utilization (continuing, discontinued, completed) among the groups classified by psychiatric treatment, living style, and first contact person was seen.