P2-168 Mental illness related disparities in potentially preventable hospitalisations: a population-base cohort study from 1990 to 2006

Abstract

Introduction Emerging evidence indicates the association between mental illness and poor quality of physical healthcare. To test this, we compared mental health clients (MHCs) with non-MHCs for the quality of primary care, using potentially preventable hospitalisations (PPHs) as an indicator. Methods Population-based retrospective cohort study of 139 208 MHCs and 294 180 matched non-MHCs in Western Australia from 1990 to 2006, using linked data of electoral roll registrations, mental health registry, hospital admissions and deaths. We used the electoral roll as the sampling frame for both cohorts to enhance..