The evaluation of needs, satisfaction with services, social functioning and quality of life has been recognized as domains important for care planning and outcome assessment in care of persons with psychiatric disorders.

The aim of the study was to assess what are demographic, social and clinical variables associated with higher needs for care and to find out what are correlates among needs, satisfaction with services, social functioning, and quality of life.

The sample included 170 out-patients from psychiatric clinics with diagnosis F 2- 6 according to ICD-10. Demographic, social and clinical data were collected with special questionnaire. Several instrument were used: the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Camberwell Assessment of Need Short Appraisal Schedule (CANSAS), the Client's Scale for Assessment of Treatment (CAT) – to assess satisfaction with services, the Groningen Social Disability Schedule (GSDS-II) and the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA).

Needs were positively related to patient age, being male, single, unemployed and to intensity of psychopathological symptoms. Unmet needs were negatively associated with satisfaction with services. Quality of life and social functioning were strongly related to number of met, unmet and total needs (quality of life and social functioning decreased as needs increased). The results showed that different variables as well as their satisfaction with services, social functioning and subjective quality of life are associated with patients needs.