The Nordic Comparative Study on Sectorized Psychiatry: Professional ideology and realities among staff

Abstract

ERKKI VA 8 ISA 8 NEN, OLLE LO 8 NNERBERG, HANNE R. VINDING, GO 8 RGEN GO 8 STAS, ANNE LINDHARDT, TERJE ØIESVOLD Sandlund M, Hansson L, Väisänen E, Lö nnerberg O, Vinding HR, Gö stas G, Lindhardt A, Øiesvold T. The Nordic Comparative Study on Sectorized Psychiatry: professional ideology and realities among staff. Nord J Psychiatry 1999;53:177 -183. Oslo. ISSN 0803-9488.As a part of the Nordic Comparative Study on Sectorized Psychiatry, a study on staff members' ideals of good psychiatric service and perceived realities at their place of work was carried out in the seven participating services. The aim was to throw light on some ideologic dimensions of community-based psychiatric services. The reorientation of psychiatric services has led to a decrease of inpatient facilities and to an increase of a spectrum of outpatient services. The reorientation has been guided by principles of community psychiatry, such as comprehensiveness, coordination and non-institutionalization. The organizational framework has been the sectorization of services. Staff members' perceptions of these ideals and of the realities in their own service might not always correspond with the officially stated aims and goals set up for the service. This might substantially influence the successfulness of the reorientation. The result of the present study showed general good agreement on the importance of developing an integrated approach and cooperating with general practitioners and social services, whereas the principle of avoiding hospitalization was found to be fairly unpopular. Ideas important to community-based psychiatry were found to be more important in non-metropolitan catchment areas.• Community psychiatry, Ideology, Sectorization of ser6ices, Staff attitudes.