Datos operacionales de una unidad psiquiátrica de internación en un hospital general y público de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. / [Operative data of a psychiatric internation unit in a general hospital of health public system in Buenos Aires City]

ABSTRACT

The epidemiological projections show that the problems of Mental Health were the main health challenge during the last decade. This situation is particularly worring in our region. The poor operative data in relation to the care of the mental disorders prevent the elaboration of plans on the basis of secure data. METHODOLOGY: Records of externation were analized during the period between 1994-1998 in the men Psychiatric Internation Unity in the Psychopatology Service of the Hospital Piñero in Buenos Aires, which is part of the public health service of the city. RESULTS: an average time of internation of 42.8 days was reported (SD 40,3), which was higher than the 11 days reported in institutions of the private health services. An increasing proportional diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder was reported (chi square corresponding to tendencies P<0.01, lineality P<0.001) and a significative decline in the number of diagnosis of Schizophrenia (chi square corresponding to tendencies P<0.05; lineality P<0.05). In this way, the ratio of the diagnosis of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder changed from 71 in 1994 to 1,71 in 1998. CONCLUSIONS: A variation in the diagnostic habits was observed, suggesting that affective disorders were underdiagnosticated. This tendency was corrected latter. Similar remarks made by other services in the same region support this interpretation of the data.