Salud mental en Chile: Análisis crítico de la formación de personal

Abstract

Three historical stages of Mental Health development as a medical discipline in Chile, area described: initial growth (1952- 1973), involution (1974-1989), and development (1990 onwards). Personnel training is essential for the future implementation of the National Plan of Mental Health. Medical curriculum gives to Mental Health only 10% of the time allowed to Psychiatry, in the 5th year. The training of psychiatrists in three years takes 93% of the total hours to Clinical Sciences, and 7% to Mental Health. The master in Public Health with mention in Mental Health, since 1993, improves this situation, giving 25% of the time to Public Health, and 759c to Mental Health, in two years, including the thesis. In nine Schools of Psychology of the Mercosur (Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile) only five include Mental Health in the curriculum, with less than 5% of the total hours. The principal Chilean institutions devoted to the training of Mental Health personnel, are describe. The training of lay personnel in Mental Health is promoted, in Chile by the Alcoholism and Drug Program of the Catholic Church, the National Union of Recovered Alcoholics and the Associations of relatives of mental patients.