Mental health and primary health care. Care accessibility, integrality and continuity in health centers, Argentina.

Abstract

Introduction: Primary care represents the most integral, positive and democratic way to build health care and promote equity. Objective: To evaluate the accessibility to mental health services of large urban centers in Argentina. Methods: A multicenter study (Buenos Aires City, Córdoba, Paraná and Rosario) was conducted in 2010. It linked qualitative and quantitative approaches. Results: The expansion of mental health services in primary care and their integration into general health services are consistent with the current health policy. Territorialization processes contribute to facilitate the access to required care. The initial contact, continuity of care and pursuit of integrity are components that have an unequal development in each of the contexts studied. The circulation of users between the different levels of the health system is smooth and meaningful. Conclusions: During the last years there has been a strategic incentive to promote accessibility of population to mental health care in the studied cities. Depending on the health-political context and under various forms, it included expansion of service networks, extension of benefits and integration of specific care to primary care. However, there are still challenges and debts. Through this diagnosis the study contributes to achieve a systematic knowledge, which is useful to design specific actions in each of the jurisdictions.