[Study of referrals from primary care to mental health: What coincidence does exist between the reasons for the referral and the diagnosis of the specialist].

Objective: To evaluate the diagnoses of Primary Care (PC) by their confirmation in psychiatry.

Design: Observational, descriptive and retrospective study.

Location: Unit of Mental Health (MH) of Sagunto and Center of Health Puerto de Sagunto.

Population: The formless for the derivation of PC to MH between June 1996 and May 1997, 147 patients.

Results: The incidence was higher in females. More frequent pathology: neurotic dysfunctions and secondary to stress, continued by affective dysfunctions. 21% (IC 95%: 14.4-29.6) they were derived without diagnosis. The psychiatry confirmed 70% (IC 95%: 59.6-78.8) of the diagnoses of primary care. 14% (IC 95%: 8.3-21.4) they were considered without psychiatric pathology for MH. 25% (IC 95%: 17.2-33.2) of patients were discharged in first visit to MH. 17% (IC 95%: 11.3-24.1) of the first requested visits didn't go to the consultation.

Conclusions: The coincidence in the psychiatric diagnoses of the doctors of PC of the Puerto de Sagunto with the SM is bigger than the coincidence in previous studies of other areas. The most frequent confusion is among neurotic dysfunctions and secondary to stress with affective dysfunctions. The suspected diagnosis should be reflected in more occasions. It is high the number of patients that didn't go to the appointment with SM. The communication between services could be improve.