In this study an analysis was made of possible trends in first admissions to a general psychiatric hospital (GPH) in the Netherlands in the period 1980-1993. Data were obtained from the Stichting Informatievoorziening Gezondheidszorg (SIG) in the Netherlands (SIG: Foundation for Information on Health Care). In the so-called PIGG-registration the SIG keeps, among other things, records on admissions to GPHs. To describe the pattern seen in the observed data a poisson regression was used. The incidence of admissions to a GPH showed a decline. Based on the observed incidence rates this decline is about 18%. Corrected for age and gender influences the decline is 23%.