SynopsisService utilization measures from the psychiatric case registers for urban South-Verona and rural Portogruaro in North East Italy for the period 1983–9 were used to identify associations with socio-demographic variables from the 1981 census in schizophrenia and related disorders as well as in all diagnoses. The patterns of service use were broadly similar, except that Portogruaro has significantly more community contacts, and has about twice the treated incidence and prevalence of schizophrenia. The census data showed that unmarried and unemployed people were more likely to live alone in the urban than in the rural area. In South-Verona the most strongly associated predictor variables, both for schizophrenia and all diagnoses, are: living alone, unemployment, percentage of the total population who are dependents and the percentage who are divorced, separated or widowed. In contrast, in Portogruaro there were no consistent associations between census and service use variables. Stepwise multiple regression models using three census predictor variables accounted for over 85% of the variance in South-Verona utilization rates. The results indicate that the strongly predictive associations previously described in England hold in urban South-Verona, but not in rural Portogruaro, and may be related to the effect of cities in clustering seriously disabled psychiatric patients in areas of low-cost housing where they live in relative social isolation.

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This paper reviews trends in Italian mental health services after the implementation of the 1978 Mental Health Act. Data available at the national level on public and private inpatient services, community mental health centres, residential and day care facilities are presented and discussed. Findings from two case-register areas, where comprehensive community services according to the Mental Health Act have been implemented, are discussed. Public mental hospitals are no longer used for psychiatric treatment, except for a small number of long stay patients. General hospital psychiatric units are the only setting in the public sector where psychiatric patients can be admitted. In private mental hospitals, the number of residents has decreased, while admissions have remained stable. However, community services are unevenly distributed and residential facilities are generally lacking. Little is known about quality of care provided, although data from some pilot studies are encouraging. Stable admission rates to forensic mental hospitals suggest that the criminalization of mentally ill has not increased. The effect of changing patterns of mental health care on suicide rates are discussed.

RiassuntoDopo una breve rassegna sui dati di confronto tra Registri Psichiatrici dei Casi (RPC) disponibili nella letteratura internazionale, vengono analizzati gli indici sociodemografici e i tassi standardizzati (per età e sesso) relativi alle attività assistenziali (anni 1987–90) svolte in cinque aree italiane di RPC. Gli indici socio-anagrafici sono risultati correlati con le caratteristiche urbano-rurali del territorio. In ognuna delle cinque aree di registro esisteva, alia fine del 1990, una rete di servizi considerata adeguata rispetto alle esigenze della popolazione. I tassi totali di prevalenza un giorno sono in lieve aumento in tutte le aree di RPC, mentre quelli di prevalenza un anno e incidenza hanno avuto un andamento piuttosto differenziato nelle varie aree. II ricorso al day-hospital è diventato mediamente piu frequente e l'attività territoriale è aumentata dappertutto. Sono diminuiti parallelamente i ricoveri. II fenomeno della lungodegenza è tuttora presente, anche se in forma ridotta, in alcune aree di RPC. I soggetti lungoospitati in comunità sono aumentati in un'area (Arezzo), diminuiti in un'altra (Caltagirone), mentre sono stabili nelle altre aree. I lungoassistiti sono aumentati in quattro aree e in lieve flessione nella quinta (Arezzo). Non e emersa una relazione tra livelli di assistenza psichiatrica erogata e caratteristiche della popolazione di riferimento. Secondo un punteggio assistenziale ponderato di costo lo sviluppo dell'attività assistenziale ha determinato un aumento dei costi a Verona-Sud e ad Arezzo, una diminuzione a Caltagirone e a Legnano e nessuna variazione a Portogruaro.Parole chiaveservizi psichiatrici territoriali, registri psichiatrici dei casi, utilizzazione dei servizi.SummaryAfter a brief review of the literatur on comparison between Psychiatric Case Registers (PCR), this paper analyzes sociodemografic data and 1987-1990 age/sex standardised rates of psychiatric treatment in five Italian areas with a PCR. There was a correlation between sociodemografic indices and urban-rural characteristics of the areas. At the end of 1990 the comprehensive community psychiatric service of each area was considered able to meet the needs of the population. During the four years of our survey, one-day prevalence rates were consistently slighty increasing, while one-year prevalence and incidence rates showed different trend in the five areas. Overall, there was a development of the community services and a decrease of psychiatric admissions. There were still few hospital long-stay patients in some areas, but what is more evident was the increase of the number of long-term patients (hostel long-stay patients and communiy long-term patients). No correlations were evident between levels of psychiatric treatment and characteristics of the populations in the five areas. The development of a comprehensive network of community services required an increase of the costs in Verona-Sud and Arezzo, a decrease in Caltagirone and Legnano, while there was no variation of costs in Portogruaro.