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. 2024 Jul;51(5):270-276.
doi: 10.1055/a-2265-8375. Epub 2024 Mar 29.

[Distance Decay Effects in a Swiss Mental Health Services System]

[Article in German]
Niklaus Stulz  1 , Benjamin Dubno  1 , Ralf Gebhardt  2 , Urs Hepp  3
Affiliations

[Distance Decay Effects in a Swiss Mental Health Services System]

[Article in German]
Niklaus Stulz et al. Psychiatr Prax. 2024 Jul.

Abstract
in English, German

Objective: To investigate psychiatric service use depending on distances (travel times) to inpatient and outpatient service sites.

Methods: Retrospective cohort analysis of all patients aged 18-64 years who had been treated in a Swiss psychiatric services system in 2022.

Results: Outpatient service utilization rates decreased statistically significantly with increasing distance (travel time by public transportation) between the place of residence and the responsible outpatient clinic. For inpatient utilization, the distance decay effects were much less strong and did not always reach a statistically significant level.

Conclusion: In an easily accessible and economically reasonable psychiatric services system, inpatient and specialized services should be organized centrally, while general outpatient psychiatric services should be planned decentralized and close to the communities where people live.

Ziel der studie: Untersuchung der psychiatrischen Inanspruchnahme in Abhängigkeit von der Anreisezeit zu den Behandlungsangeboten.

Methodik: Retrospektive Analyse der Inanspruchnahmekohorte 2022 (18–64 Jahre alt) in einem psychiatrischen Dienst in der Schweiz.

Ergebnisse: Die bevölkerungsbezogenen ambulanten Inanspruchnahmeraten nahmen mit zunehmender Distanz (Reisezeit im öffentlichen Verkehr) zwischen den Wohngemeinden und den zuständigen Ambulatorien deutlich und statistisch signifikant ab. Für die stationäre Inanspruchnahme fanden sich deutlich geringere Distanzeffekte.

Schlussfolgerung: In einem gut zugänglichen und ökonomisch vernünftigen psychiatrischen Versorgungssystem sollten stationäre und spezialisierte Angebote zentral organisiert werden, während ambulante, allgemeinpsychiatrische Angebote eher dezentral und wohnortsnah zu planen sind.

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Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht.

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