Psychosocial factors and recidivism of the Indian schizophrenic patient.

Abstract

A study on the influence of psychosocial factors on 30 schizophrenic patients was undertaken. The patient population was selected on the basis of : (a) being resident in the Pietermaritzburg area. (b) having one or more admissions to the psychiatric hospital (Fort Napier ) . (c) having a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The social questionnaire was completed after home visits were made to the patient and his family. The initial hypotheses: (a) poor psychosocial factors result in readmission to the hospital; (b) adequate facilities would result in the readmission rate of the mentally ill decreasing; (c) patients who lived in high EE homes have a higher relapse rate than those returning to low EE homes; have been confirmed in the study. The study has shown that the psychosocial aspects of schizophrenia must receive attention, together with medical treatment if relapse is to be prevented. The success of rehabilitation rests largely on finding the optimal balance for each patient. Better co-ordination of referrals should increase the number of people who establish outpatient contacts and more important, increase the number of visits each person makes.