Relationship between community characteristics and admission rates in rural communities in South Germany during the years 2006 to 2009

Background/Objectives: Studies in urban areas show a relationship between socio-economic and structural characteristics of the living environment and the development and course of psychiatric disorders. It was examined whether socio-economic and structural characteristics of the living environment known from the situation in urban areas also influence psychiatric admissions rates in rural communities. Methods: For the years 2006 to 2009, psychiatric hospital admission rates for 174 communities were computed from the admission records of the state mental hospital which provides the psychiatric inpatient service f…