Outcome analysis on individual health budgets in mental Health: finding from the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Italy

Abstract

Background

Individual Health Budget (IHB) is used for social and health integration and to facilitate processes of resource reorientation in healthcare. Despite its increased use in mental health settings, few studies investigated its effectiveness in severe mental disorders.

Methods

383 IHB beneficiaries were recruited among Mental Health Departments users of the Italian region Friuli Venezia Giulia. Data involved sociodemographic and clinical variables, IHB type and scores of Health of the Nation Outcome Scale (HoNOS) at admission to IHB programme (T0), after 12 months (T1), and after 24 months (T2).

Results

The length and the mean number of hospitalisations and healthcare interventions decreased at T1. A significant scores’ reduction from T0 to T1 evaluation was found in HoNOS total score (T-test (P) < 0.05) and in most of its items. An improvement throughout the whole evaluation period (T0 vs. T2) was found in 36% of the IHB beneficiaries, while more than 60% of them remained in the same HoNOS severity category.

Conclusions

Our results support the use of IHB in patients with severe mental problems, since it may contribute to an improvement in social and clinical functioning, consequently lowering the burden on MHDs.

Keywords:

• Individual health budget
• personalized care
• health and social care
• mental disorders

Acknowledgments

The authors thank professionals and users of Mental Health Departments of Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano-Isontina, Azienda Sanitaria Friuli Occidentale, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale, and the Social Cooperatives Friuli Venezia Giulia’s, for help in participating and retrieving data. The authors would like to thank also Mr. Andrea Loredan, Central health directorate, Region Friuli Venezia Giulia for the important help in organising the data used in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study received no external funding.