[Comparative analysis about hospitalization characteristics in the mental health unit of a general acute care hospital].

Introduction: In Argentina, like in the rest of the world, deinstitutionalization policies have been implemented. In our country, the shortage of epidemiologic data regarding admissions in mental health is a limitation for the discussion about how this changes should be implemented and its effect.

Objectives: Epidemiologic data of inpatients of the Mental Health Unit of the Teodoro Álvarez General Hospital between June 2012 and May 2013 has been analyzed in order to elaborate a comparative analysis with a previous study that took place in the same unit on the years 2004-2005.