Características de la demanda asistencial en la unidad de salud mental de la infancia y la adolescencia del área sanitaria de Santiago: análisis evolutivo

Introduction: The analysis and evaluation of the demand that is carried out in a Mental Health Unit of Childhood and Adolescence (MHUCA) is fundamental to improve the quality of the professional attention and the effectiveness of the treatments. In this paper we present the data of an evaluation performed during fifteen years in a MHUCA. Objectives: To determine the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the children and adolescents who consulted in the MHUCA of the Santiago Area during the period 2000-2015. Analyze the differences between sociodemographic and clinical variables between the first years of this period (2000-2012), with the results observed in the last years (2013-2015) and their relationship with the increase in demand. Material and Methods: The sample used is 6026 subjects consulted. The studied variables: sociodemographic and clinical. We analyze these variables in two time sections to evaluate if there is a different demand over the years. Results. We found a notable increase in the demand for care in the last 3 years, there are no differences in the sociodemographic profile. Regarding the clinical characteristics, we obtained differences in the prevalence of the diagnoses and in the follow-up of the patients. Conclusions: The fundamental difference between the two periods is determined by the increase in demand that determines a higher prevalence of Absence of Psychiatric Diagnosis and a higher number of discharges that suggest an inadequate use of the demand for care.