Rural and urban differences in continuity of care after state hospital discharge.

In a study to determine differences in continuity of care for state hospital patients discharged to rural and urban areas, all community mental health centers in Virginia were asked to complete a brief questionnaire about each patient discharged to the centers in fiscal year 1992. Discharges to rural centers had significantly higher levels of continuity of care on four of five dimensions of continuity. The authors conjecture that rural centers' lower staff ratios and decreased role boundaries may make them better able than urban centers to carry out the diverse tasks needed to help discharged patients resume community living.