OBJETIVO: Describir el patrón de uso de servicios generales y especializados entre los adultos con problemas de salud mental, así como su nivel de satisfacción con dichos servicios, con la finalidad de contribuir a optimizar los escasos recursos disponibles en la Región para la atención de la salud mental, particularmente en lo que corresponde a Chile. MÉTODO: Los diagnósticos y los patrones de uso de los servicios de salud mental se obtuvieron del Estudio Chileno de Prevalencia Psiquiátrica (ECPP), una investigación representativa de la población adulta del país, basada en una muestra aleatoria estratificada de 2 987 personas de 15 años y más, que abarcó el período de 1992 a 1999. Los diagnósticos psiquiátricos se obtuvieron por medio del instrumento de entrevista denominado Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Asimismo, se preguntó a los entrevistados acerca del uso de servicios generales y de salud mental en los seis meses precedentes y sobre las dificultades que encontraron para acceder a ellos. RESULTADOS: Más de 44% de los entrevistados tuvieron contacto con algún tipo de servicio de salud durante los 6 meses previos al estudio, pero solo 5,6% recibieron atención especializada. Quienes presentan los diagnósticos de trastorno obsesivo y de pánico consultan con mayor frecuencia, pero no en centros especializados. El consumo de sustancias tóxicas y la personalidad antisocial se relacionaron con un bajo nivel de consulta. El sistema formal de salud es la opción que más se menciona como recurso de ayuda. Más de 75% refieren satisfacción o gran satisfacción con la atención recibida. CONCLUSIONES: Se confirma la existencia de una amplia brecha entre las necesidades de atención y el tratamiento realmente recibido. Los recursos alternativos informales y folclóricos (sacerdote, familiares, curanderos, hierbateros [yerberos], etc.) se utilizan con una frecuencia menor de la esperada. Las barreras indirectas de acceso a los servicios resultan claramente más frecuentes y se vinculan con desconocimiento y estigma. Un número importante de personas sin diagnóstico positivo en la entrevista CIDI hace uso de los servicios de salud mental.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the patterns in the use of general health services and specialized health services among adults with mental health problems in Chile, as well as those persons' level of satisfaction with the services. The overall objective was to optimize the use of the limited resources available for mental health care in the countries of the Americas, especially Chile. METHODS: The diagnoses and the patterns of use of mental health services were obtained from the Chilean Study of Psychiatric Prevalence (Estudio Chileno de Prevalencia Psiquiátrica). That representative research on the adult population of Chile was based on a stratified random sample of 2 987 people 15 years old and older, done over the period of 1992 to 1999. The psychiatric diagnoses were obtained using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). The interviewees were also asked about their use of general health care services and of mental health services in the preceding six months, as well as any barriers to accessing the services. RESULTS: More than 44% of the interviewees had had contact with some type of health service during the six months prior to the study, but only 5.6% received specialized care. Those who presented with a diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder or of panic disorder consulted more frequently, but not in specialized centers. Consumption of substances such as alcohol and drugs as well as antisocial personality disorder were associated with a low level of consultation. When asked about sources of assistance for mental health problems, the majority of the interviewees mentioned only the formal health care system. More than 75% of the interviewees said that they were satisfied or very satisfied with the care that they had received. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm the existence of a wide gap between the need for care and the treatment that is actually received. The informal and folkloric alternative resources (priests, family members, healers, herbalists, etc.) were used less frequently than is generally believed to be true. The indirect barriers of access to services-linked to a lack of knowledge and to stigma-were more frequent than were the direct barriers. A sizable number of people who did not have a positive diagnosis on the CIDI utilized mental health services.