LOCATIONAL FACTORS IN THE DEMAND FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE

The demand for mental health care is not easily estimated. A surrogate measure, utilization, is viewed as a function of three groups of characteristics, relating to the service itself, the client group, and location. The influence of location upon utilization is complex. Empirical evidence from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, supports the notion that the location variable can be decomposed into four elements: physical distance, location as catchment, social distance, and relative location. The relative importance of location is placed in proper perspective by reviewing briefly the role of client and service characteristics on mental health service utilization.

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