Users of the Cadiz child and ado­lescent mental health unit during 4 years of study (Jrom 1996 to 1999).

Abstract

Objetives: Quantifying the use of the Cádiz Child­Adolescent Mental Heú.':h Unit from 1996 to 1999. Describing the sociodemographic characteristics of the patients, the causes of their consultations and their ori­gins. Methods: Ali dates have been got by means of the files of the Cádiz Mental Health Service. Results: Ali the patients were distributed according to sex, age, town, existence or not of previous documents, number of visits to this service (new ar successive visits), the whole of requests of consultation (ifthey assist or not to
the consulting), cause of their consultation, claimants and causes which demand the first consultation. Co11-clusio11s: each year the total of new patients is conside­red stable during ali the period; the successive consul­tations increase, more than 90% of the total of patients which demand a consultation, assist to the center each year. The relationship between malelfemale children is 2/1; the most frequent group is 4-5 years old one until 1999, since 1999 the main group is formed by 2-3 years old children; the majority of patients are from Cádiz, but during the last year the majority of patients were from the Bay; behaviour disorders are the main causes of consulting, the most frequent claimant is the family; Primary Care points up among the rest of demanded services; the majority of patients assist to the Service with the derivation document.