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Effects of Treatment in Mother-Child Rehabilitation Centres. The study aims at an external evaluation of mother-child rehabilitation centres in Germany. The centres taking part in the project will get detailed information about their present state of quality in the dimensions of structure, process and outcome as well as patient satisfaction and job satisfaction of the employees. This article focuses on quality of outcome. Two main questions are addressed: How do women treated in mother-child rehabilitation centres assess their health problems at admission, and what are the effects after three weeks of inpatient treatment? The results show that in comparison with a German norm population, 55 % to 75 % of the women in the present study reported intense distress in all dimensions of health (somatic, functional and psychosocial). The analysis of effects after treatment confirms a distinct improvement of health status reported by patients as well as by doctors and therapists. Data of a follow-up after 6 months will show whether these positive effects can be maintained.

In Germany, the social health system tries to take into account the divergent expectations and needs of women with children. One of the available services for mentally ill women, the so called mother-child rehabilitation, is a special inpatient service for exhausted and depressed women. Mothers may bring their children along and children receive medical and psychological treatment as well if they need it. In the following, we describe and compare this service with other available services for women in Germany and draw some conclusions in regard to the future of these measures, taking funding problems into account.

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