The economics of psychiatric services in the UK and Ireland, 1845-1985
This study empirically describes the activity and costs associated with the psychiatric services in England & Wales, Scotland & Ireland from 1845 to 1985. Basic economic concepts are employed to structure data. Key hypotheses from the three historical schools (Progressive, Social Control and Epidemiological) are tested, using a neo-Popperian methodology. The literature is reviewed in Chapter 2 (general and socio-economic) and Chapter 3 (epidemiological). Chapter 4 sets the comparative legal and financing context. Chapters 5, 6 and 7 outline activity and financial data for each country. Major points common to each included: - relative stability in admissions and costs up to around 1945, - a major change after 1945 when admission rates (both first and total) rose sharply, - inflows exceeded outflows until around 1955 when the number of resident inpatients began to fall, - despite the fall in resident inpatients, spending, which was predominantly publicly financed and hospital orientated, continued to increase. Chapter 8 suggests that three hypotheses were not obviously falsified by the data: - a pharmacological hypothesis linking new drugs in the mid-1950s to the changes which occurred then, - Wagner's Law,
Raftery, James Patrick
History
The economics of psychiatric services in the UK and Ireland, 1845-1985. This study empirically describes the activity and costs associated with the psychiatric services in England & Wales, Scotland & Ireland from 1845 to 1985. Basic economic concepts are employed to structure data. Key hypotheses from the three historical schools (Progressive, Social Control and Epidemiological) are tested, using a neo-Popperian methodology. The literature is reviewed in Chapter 2 (general and socio-economic) and Chapter 3 (epidemiological). Chapter 4 sets the comparative legal and financing context. Chapters 5, 6 and 7 outline activity and financial data for each country. Major points common to each included: - relative stability in admissions and costs up to around 1945, - a major change after 1945 when admission rates (both first and total) rose sharply, - inflows exceeded outflows until around 1955 when the number of resident inpatients began to fall, - despite the fall in resident inpatients, spending, which was predominantly publicly financed and hospital orientated, continued to increase. Chapter 8 suggests that three hypotheses were not obviously falsified by the data: - a pharmacological hypothesis linking new drugs in the mid-1950s to the changes which occurred then, - Wagner's Law,
economics psychiatric service ireland study empirically describes activity cost associate psychiatric service england_wales scotland_ireland basic economic concept employ structure data key hypothesis historical school progressive social control epidemiological test use neo methodology literature_review general socio_economic epidemiological set comparative legal financing context outline activity financial data country major point common include relative stability admission cost major_change admission rate first total rise sharply inflow exceed around number resident begin fall despite fall resident spending predominantly publicly finance hospital orientate continue increase suggests three_hypothesis obviously data hypothesis link new drug mid change_occur law