[Epidemiologic evaluation of the activity of the psychiatric service in Varese]

Background. The objective of this work is to analyze the activity of the general hospital psychiatric inpatient service in Varese in the period between 1978 and 1992. Materials and methods. Some indices of psychiatric service utilization called 'utilization indicators' (first admissions, total admissions, days of stay, number of admitted patients) and some indices of intensity of service utilization called 'flow indicator' (average lenght of stay, index of bed occupation, index of turnover, have been used. Results. Though considering that the general hospital psychiatric Inpatient service in Varese has always maintained a considerable activity, the results have pointed out, as to the indices of service utilization, some moments of greater activity especially in the years immediately following the institution of psychiatric inpatient services and in the quadriennium 1984- 1987. Conclusions. As to the indices of intensity of service the period of largest activity was registered in the last quadriennium of the period examinated. Then we compared our results with those of Pavia's area, where a similar research was conducted, with the results of Crema's and Cremona's area and those of Mantova's area.