Psychiatric service use: a cohort study of first attenders

Abstract
A retrospective cohort study was undertaken of all 1047 first-ever psychiatric service attenders to Christchurch general psychiatric services in 1981. All episodes of care were examined to the end of 1989. Only 24% of contacts were as an inpatient. Long-term contacts and frequent presenters formed only 15% of the sample. Nearly all cases not immediately discharged remained within the adult general service. Demographic and clinical variables and patterns of resource use are discussed.