COMMUNITY CARE AND THE PROGNOSIS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

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Abstract
A group of 41 schizophrenic patients was followed up for a period of up to 8.5 yr after their 1st admission to a general hospital psychiatric unit. During the follow-up period, 1/3 of the patients were not readmitted, and the remainder had between 1-8 readmissions. Half of the patients spent < 5% of the follow-up period in the hospital. Patients (21) remained in fairly close contact with at least one community service. A greater degree of clinical disturbance characterized high users, as compared with low users, of these services. At the end of the follow-up 2 patients were in the hospital, half of the original cohort was considered clinically recovered and 4/5 socially recovered. The contribution of the general hospital and of the community services to the improved prognosis for schizophrenia was discussed.