Aftercare of schizophrenic patients: pharmacotherapy and consistency of therapists.
Fifty-seven chronic schizophrenic patients were followed an average of six years after index mental hospital admission and compared on the variables of depot fluphenazine (N = 26) versus oral antipsychotic medications (N = 31), and of consistent aftercare with one therapist (N = 17) versus aftercare with multiple therapists or caregivers (N = 40). The patients who had been maintained on depot fluphenazine scored significantly better on measures of mental status than did those on oral medications, but had a significantly lower score on work performance. The group with consistent aftercare scored better on self-ratings and time without serious psychotic symptoms, but showed no difference on objective mental status when compared with the multiple-therapist aftercare group. The authors conclude that consistent aftercare and provision of medications that do not require a major commitment by the patient to remain well may make a small but significant contribution to the welfare of the chronic schizophrenic patient.
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000359:Aftercare; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005476:Fluphenazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012917:Social Adjustment
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; C011825:fluphenazine depot; D005476:Fluphenazine