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Mental Health Services in Finnish
Health Centers
Maria Vuorilehto M.D.
Specialist in General Practice and Psychiatry
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Some facts about Finnish health care
About 4000 GPs are working in 163 health centers
The number of psychiatrists per 100 000 population is 26
(compare: 3 in Albania, 1 in Turkey)
3500 psychiatric hospital beds
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Facts about Finnish mental health
About 5 % of the Finnish
population suffer from
depression
Even more people suffer
from anxiety disorders :
panic, social phobia, GAD
1-2 % suffer from psycotic
disorders
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A common patient case in primary care (1)
Woman in her fifties
Sleeping problems and
fatique
Worried about her health
No status or laboratory
findings
Becks depression
inventory score (BDI) 20
Problems in her family life
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What is GPs role in Finnish mental health
care?
GPs deal with common
mental health problems:
identifying and referring
people with problems
diagnosing problems
regularly treating people
with common disorders
Concerning severe mental
disorders GPs play a
major role in
identification, and referral ,
but specialists are
expected to give
treatment,
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Common problems in primary care
Mild and moderate depression
Mild and moderate anxiety
disorders
Addiction problems
Crisis interventions
Mental problems with only
somatic symptoms
Somatization problems
Assessement of psychotic
patients when they need non-
volontary hospital treatment
First aid for all mental
problems
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A common patient case in primary care 2.
A young male student is
complaining about not
being able to concentrate
on his studies
He is tired, does not want
see his friends, ….many
other symptoms of
depression
He asks for a doctor’s
certificate for the
university
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GPs’ education on mental health
One term during the
medical education
containing no practice
Working as a resident in
psychitric care for 6-12 kk
on voluntary basis
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Primary care mental health workforce
GP
Specialist nurse
Addiction nurse
Other nurses
Nurses an psychologists in
child and maternity health
care
A-clinics for addicts
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A common patient case 3.
An old lady with many
chronic diseases and living
alone
Accusing the home nurse
of stealing
Refusing domestic help
Sometimes confused and
disoriented
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Most treatments may be offered also in
primary care:
Pharmacological: antidepressants, antipsychotics, etc in simple combinations
Psychosocial support by GP:s and specialist nurses
Short psychotherapies comprising from 5 to 10 visits
Psychoeducatin groups for depression
Internet based therapies
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Specialized care is resposible for
In-patient treatment
Complicated diagnostic
assessements
Complicated
pharmacotherapy including
most treatment with
antipsychotics and mood
stabilizers
Electroconvulsive therapies
Complicated plans for
treatment and rehabilitation
Most psychotherapies
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Differencies from non-European countries
Lower stigma? easier to talk to health care
professionals, more visits due to mental health problems
It is OK to stay at home when suffering from depression or anxiety but you need a doctor’s certificate for your employer
Social benefits if you are not able to work due to mental health problems
Many patients prefer talking to pharmacotherapy? – need of many visits and other professionals than GPs in the team
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION