Mental health in Argentina: interdisciplinary program based in community care

Abstract

Mental health and drug addiction problems are closely related to social, political and economical determinants. Assistance models based in institutionalized isolationpractices are inefficient and outdated.Objective: To demonstrate the impact of a domiciliary care program called Community Link Interdisciplinary Regional Program (PRIEC) based on community andinterdisciplinary approaches for patients affected by mental illness or by drug addiction.Methods: 2 groups of patients, one included in PRIEC program and the other (control group CG) was treated in usual way.Results: After 12 months of program, 92.6% of the patients considered themselves satisfied with the program, the period from first court admission to medical carewas reduced in 69%; treatment adherence was 78.2% (34.4% in CG) p 0.001; hospital re-admission was only 18.3% (56.7% CG) p 0.003.Conclusion: treatment of mental diseases or drug abuse problems based in community and interdisciplinary approaches demonstrated to be a more efficient strategy interms of latency for medical care, treatment?s dropout rate, and patient?s satisfaction than isolation of these patients during residential treatment in mental hospitals.