The British Journal of Psychiatry 173: 334-340 (1998)
© 1998 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Utilisation of mental health services and costs of patients with schizophrenia in three areas of Spain
JM Haro, L Salvador-Carulla, J Cabases, V Madoz and JL Vazquez-Barquero
Centro de Investigacion en Minusvalias, Universidad de Cadiz, Spain. 27652jha@comb.es
BACKGROUND: The analysis of the costs of schizophrenia and its treatment
under different mental health care structures will facilitate the improved
allocation of the limited resources available for the treatment of
schizophrenia. The research we present compares health service use and
total health care costs of three cohorts of subjects with schizophrenia
which are representative of three areas of Spain (Burlada in Navarra,
Cantabria and the Eixample of Barcelona). METHOD: We selected first-time
contacts with any psychiatric service who received a diagnosis of
schizophrenia. Subjects were evaluated in the third year after onset.
RESULTS: The mean number of out-patient visits per patient per year was
10.7 and the mean in-patient days were 9.5. The mean direct cost per
patient in the third year of treatment was US$2243. Costs were higher for
single subjects and for people who had a relapse. Costs of subjects with
better functioning were lower than costs of subjects with a worse state.
CONCLUSIONS: Direct costs of care in Spain were lower than the reported
figures from other western European countries. Costs were greater in the
two centres with greater community mental health service development. Some
of the findings may be explained by service availability.
