Citation

Lerner Y, Levinson D. Soc. Psychiatry Psychiatr. Epidemiol. 2011; 47(6): 949-955.

Affiliation

Falk Institute For Mental Health Studies, Kfar Shaul Hospital, Givat Shaul, 91060, Jerusalem, Israel, Falk1@012.net.il.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00127-011-0402-8

PMID

21667302

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To examine the dropout rates from outpatient mental health treatment in the general medical and mental health sectors and to identify the predictors of dropout. METHOD: The study population was extracted from the Israel National Health Survey. The analysis was related to 12-month service utilization for mental health reasons. RESULTS: The total dropout rate from mental health treatment was 24%, but differed between sectors. The dropout rate from general medical care was 32, and 22% from mental health care. In the general medical care sector, 30% ended treatment within two visits, while only 10% did so in the mental health-care sector. Chronic health condition, but not severity of psychiatric disorder, predicted dropout in the mental health sector. DISCUSSION: The higher rate of early dropout in general medical care may be related to the brevity of general medical visits and/or the inexperience of primary care physicians, which limits the opportunity to develop patient-physician rapport. Providers of services will have to promote education programs for GPs and allocate proper time to psychiatric patients. LIMITATION: The sample, although based on a national representative cohort, was small and limited the number of independent variables that could be examined.

Language: en