Psychiatric morbidity and physician visits: lessons from Ontario.

OBJECTIVES

The authors examine the association between psychiatric morbidity and visits to general practitioners and family practitioners in Ontario, Canada.

METHODS

A nested set of hypotheses were posed to account for different levels of use among persons with differing levels of psychiatric morbidity. The sample of 8,116 is drawn from a comprehensive household survey of physical and mental health that included the UM-CIDI standardized diagnostic interview.

RESULTS

The findings suggest that persons with psychiatric disorders make more visits than can be accounted for by sociodemographic factors, medical status, access, or by intentional use of the general medical system for mental health treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychiatric morbidity is associated with higher rates of health service use. This effect is strongest among persons with multiple psychiatric disorders.