INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to compare the profile of mental health assistance provided at primary care units (PCUs) with and without a Family Health Program (FHP) team. METHOD: Observational study evaluating patients referred by PCUs located in the coverage area of a specialized mental health institution between April 2003 and March 2006. RESULTS: The PCU with a FHP team presented better global standards for data recording, higher exclusive participation of medical doctors on their referral to specialists (p = 0.000), lower capacity of patient retention (p = 0.099), higher rates of treatment dropout in secondary level (p = 0.060), and lower percentage of counter-referral by the specialized team (p = 0.028). The overall index of diagnostic agreement was similar for both types of PCU model, with a reasonable level of agreement (kappa index of 44.5 and 43.0%, respectively, for PCUs with and without a FHP team). CONCLUSION: The PCU with a FHP team did not present results compatible with what would be expected based on its hypothetically better quality.
Mental health; primary health care; health services evaluation; Family Health Program
