SynopsisReferral rates to psychiatric services in North-East Scotland by 147 individual urban and rural general practitioners were calculated. Among city doctors, the greater the number of years since qualification the more patients were referred. Single-handed city doctors also had very high referral rates. Subsequent interviews were conducted with 76 general practitioners. Topics covered included reasons for referral to psychiatric services. Psychotics, severely depressed patients, alcoholics and violent patients were the most frequently referred groups.

There have been many studies of the incidence with regard to marital status of admissions to mental hospital. Each has reported the same pattern of highest rates for the divorced, followed by the widowed and single and lowest rates for the married, the pattern being the same for both sexes (Adler, 1953; Brooke, 1963; Dayton, 1940; Frumkin, 1955; Malzberg, 1964; Norris, 1956; Ødegaard, 1946; Stevens, 1969; Thomas and Locke. 1963).

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