title: Outpatient treatment of schizophrenia.
abstract: The authors discuss the treatment of 575 schizophrenic patients over the past 15 years. They describe a shift the patients have experiences from reliance on inpatient treatment to heavy use of outpatient services. The have found that effective outpatient treatment for these patients involves a program of nearly continuous administration of neuroleptic medication combined with counseling and social and crisis services. A major component of the outpatient management of these schizophrenic patients is the education of the patients in how to regulate their own medication within a prescribed range. This educational component appears to add a measure of precision that enhances the safety and reliability of the treatment program.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010359:Patient Readmission; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy*; D012646:Self Administration; D012917:Social Adjustment; D014149:Tranquilizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D014149:Tranquilizing Agents