Outcome of schizophrenia in a non-industrialized society: comparative study between Bali and Tokyo.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to contrast the outcome of schizophrenic patients between Bali and Tokyo, the former being a non-industrialized society and the latter an industrialized society in Asia.


METHODS
A total of 51 Balinese schizophrenics and 40 schizophrenics in Tokyo were evaluated by five outcome measures at a 5-year follow-up.


RESULTS
No significant difference was found in the mean scores of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Eguma's Social Adjustment Scale and the re-admission rates between the subjects in the two sites. The cumulative length of stay in hospital during the 5-year period was significantly shorter in Bali. The percentage of subjects on psychiatric medication at the follow-up was significantly lower in Bali than that in Tokyo.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the clinical outcome of schizophrenics in Bali was not superior to that in Tokyo, the subjects in Bali tended to be able to live in society without neuroleptic medication.
Kurihara
T
T
Komagino Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Kato
M
M
Reverger
R
R
Yagi
G
G
D000328:Adult; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D019049:Developed Countries; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D014041:Tokyo / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome