Treatment Experiences of Mental Patients and Their Families

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Abstract
Relatives of 649 patients, released from state and V. A. hospitals in Massachusetts, were interviewed to ascertain what contacts patients have with professional persons in the community subsequent to hospitalization, use of tranquilizing drugs by patients after their return to the community, advice and help received by patients'' families prior, during, and subsequent to the hospitalization of one of their members, and advice and help wanted but not received by family members during these 3 periods. The treatment and help-seeking experiences of patients and their families fail to show that recent changes advocated in hospital regime and release practices have been accompanied by programs which effectively extend the therapeutic process into the community or include families of patients as part of a broadened treatment base. Neither patients after hospitalization nor relatives before, during, and subsequent to it, have much contact with hospital personnel, mental health practitioners in the community, or voluntary and public agencies. With the exception of trial-visit supervision of patients, and contact with family physicians by relatives, posthospital treatment is centered on the use of tranquilizing drugs.

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