Case identification of severe mental illness in Maidstone--a semi-rural setting.

BACKGROUND The prevalence of severe mental illness is known to be greater in urban than in rural areas. Less studied are differences between the patients themselves and, more specifically, their use of psychiatric services. METHODS The prevalence of severe mental illness was determined in semi-rural Maidstone in Kent by case identification register. Patients who met the OPCRIT diagnosis criteria were interviewed with the Multi-Site Collaboration Study (Case ID Schedule for Maidstone) which consists of five sections. RESULTS 140 patients were identified with severe mental illness in the Maidstone area; their mean age was (42.85 years SD + 12.11). Most of the sample were born in England (94%), 34.5% were married or living with partners, 87.9% were living with no supervision, 37.1% had no qualification, 48.9% were unemployed. 45.7% suffer from schizophrenia, 21.4% suffer from depression, 13.6% suffer from schizoaffective psychosis and 20% suffer from other forms of psychosis. 99.3% were in touch with the services during the index period, 30.7% needed in-patient treatment, 82.12% attended out-patient clinic, 82.12% had community psychiatric nurse input, 17.1% have ever been charged with a crime and 15.7% have been ever convicted with a crime. 52.9% were receiving depot injection. CONCLUSION The prevalence of severe mental illness in Maidstone (3.8/1000) is less than inner city areas (7.7/1000). Maidstone patients were at a higher level of functioning and made more use of available psychiatric services.