Specialty in psychiatry: Mexico 2016

Introduction In 2011 we had 3823 psychiatrists in Mexico, with an estimated rate of 3.4 per 100 000 inhabitants. In order to achieve the global targets of mental health attention, it is important to update this information. Objective To estimate the total number of psychiatrists in Mexico in 2016; determine their geographic distribution and compare the results with the ones obtained in 2011. Method Longitudinal and comparative study. Diverse sources of information were consulted in order to update the number of psychiatrists in 2016 and to know their sociodemographic characteristics that were compared with the ones obtained in 2011. Results 4 393 psychiatrists practiced their specialty in Mexico in 2016. With a population of 119 530 753 inhabitants, we obtained a rate of 3.68 psychiatrists per 100 000 inhabitants. There's a poor distribution of these specialists in the country. Around 60% of all psychiatrists practice in the tree major cities of Mexico. Discussion and conclusion The national rate of psychiatrists increase in comparison with the one we found in 2011, it remains lower that the one recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Geographic distribution of the psychiatrists is inequitative because of centralization and economic factors. Key words: Mexico, psychiatrists, distribution, board certification. Introduccion En el ano de 2011 habia en Mexico 3823 psiquiatras, con una tasa estimada de 3.4 por cada 100 mil habitantes. Es necesario mantener actualizada esta informacion para alcanzar los objetivos globales de atencion a la salud mental. Objetivo Estimar el numero total de psiquiatras en Mexico en 2016; determinar su distribucion geografica y comparar los resultados con los obtenidos en el ano 2011. Metodo Estudio comparativo y longitudinal. Se consultaron diversas fuentes para actualizar el numero de psiquiatras en 2016 y conocer sus caracteristicas sociodemograficas. Se compararon estas caracteristicas con las encontradas en 2011. Resultados Un total de 4393 psiquiatras ejercen su especialidad en Mexico en 2016. Sobre una poblacion de 119 530 753 habitantes, se obtuvo una tasa de 3.68 psiquiatras por cada 100 000 habitantes. Existe una pobre distribucion de estos especialistas en el pais. Alrededor del 60% de todos los psiquiatras ejercen en las tres mayores ciudades de Mexico. Discusion y conclusion La tasa nacional de psiquiatras se incremento en comparacion con la obtenida en 2011, sigue siendo inferior a la recomendada por la Org