Psychosocial care network: managers' perception and tensions of the field

Clinical and epidemiological profile of patients with mental disorders in a specialized outpatient clinic and its role in the psychosocial care network

Introduction

Mental health disorders (MHDs) are responsible for much impairment of quality of life in Brazil and worldwide. Early diagnosis and effective treatment strategies are required due to the heterogeneous symptoms and multifactorial etiology.

Methods

A descriptive retrospective observational study was performed aiming to characterize the clinical and psychiatric profiles of patients with MHD attending a Brazilian public tertiary psychiatric outpatient clinic, which is a reference health service for more than 2 million inhabitants. Predominant clinical and sociodemographic aspects of patients were evaluated between March 2019 and March 2021.

Results

A total of 8,384 appointments were analyzed. The majority of patients were female, and the mean age was 45 years old. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) was the most common MHD. The prevailing symptoms were sadness, anxiety, and irritability, with the most prescribed medications being selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Conclusion

The epidemiological characterization of mental disorders in specialized mental health outpatient clinics provides evidence for the establishment of more specific protocols and advocates a dimensional transdiagnostic approach as an aid to public mental health services.

Expansion of Psychosocial Care Centers and their relationship with health and human rights

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the factors associated with the expansion of the number of Brazilian Psychosocial Care Centers (CAPS) considering aspects related to the general health scenario and the institutionalization of human rights.

METHODS

An analytical document-based study, developed between February 2020 and May 2022, whose secondary data on the 27 Brazilian capitals were collected on platforms in the public domain, based on the time series from 2015 to 2020. Indicators were listed based on health system infrastructure and quality of life. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation test and Student's t test were used.

RESULTS

The capitals that expanded the number of CAPS in the analyzed period were the ones that presented the greatest political-legal framework for the protection of human rights.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that the greater the commitment of governments in favor of human rights, the greater the investment for CAPS expansion.