reports

Patterns of regional mental illness disorder diagnoses and service use in Manitoba: a population-based study

Winnepeg, MB, Canada: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy.

Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Mental illness is a profound problem in our province, yet there is a lack of regional information available on the prevalence of mental disorders and the corresponding use of health care resources. The Need To Know Team therefore identified the need for population-based information on mental illness as a critical aspect of planning for rural and northern regional health authorities (RHAs). This report is designed to provide an overview of population based indicators on the prevalence of mental illness, and the patterns of health care use of those diagnosed with mental illness.
The Need To Know Team, funded through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and directed by Dr. Patricia Martens, is comprised of researchers from the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy’s (MCHP) academic research unit, and high-level planners of each of the non-Winnipeg RHAs and Manitoba Health. The collaboration is designed to create research of relevance to rural and northern RHAs, and enable capacity building for the academics, the RHA Team members, and Manitoba Health staff on how to understand, interpret and apply research at the planning and decision-making level. A Working Group of mental health experts collaborated on the development of this report, and helped the Team gain valuable insights along the way.