Client utilization of service in relation to mental illness in a population

Psychiatry is confronted with an increasing demand for evaluation and service research, partly induced by the crisis in economy. The general problem about how the resources are used to give a comprehensive care to individuals suffering from mental disorder in a population is discussed within three sets of questions. These are true prevalence in relation to treated prevalence, factors which influence entrance to the service system and factors which determine utilization of service over a time period. The two first questions are discussed in the light of earlier research, the third one is illustrated by referring to an ongoing study in Oslo.