A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Identifying Local and Centralized Mental Health ServicesThe Development of a New Categorizing Variable
Authors: Ala-Nikkola T, Pirkola S, Kaila M, Joffe G, Kontio R, Oranta O, Sadeniemi M, Wahlbeck K, Saarni SI
Publisher: MDPI
Publication year: 2018
Journal: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Journal name in source: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Journal acronym: INT J ENV RES PUB HE
Article number: ARTN 1131
Volume: 15
Issue: 6
Number of pages: 16
ISSN: 1660-4601
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15061131
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/32516345
The challenges of mental health and substance abuse services (MHS) require shifting of the balance of resources from institutional care to community care. In order to track progress, an instrument that can describe these attributes of MHS is needed. We created a coding variable in the European Service Mapping Schedule-Revised (ESMS-R) mapping tool using a modified Delphi panel that classified MHS into centralized, local services with gatekeeping and local services without gatekeeping. For feasibility and validity, we tested the variable on a dataset comprising MHS in Southern Finland, covering a population of 2.3 million people. There were differences in the characteristics of services between our study regions. In our data, 41% were classified as centralized, 37% as local without gatekeeping and 22% as local services with gatekeeping. The proportion of resources allocated to local services varied from 20% to 43%. Reclassifying ESMS-R is an easy way to compare the important local vs. centralized balance of MHS systems globally, where such data exists. Further international studies comparing systems and validating this approach are needed.
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