[Rehabilitation of patients with chronic mental illness].
BACKGROUND
In Norway, the follow-up of patient with severe mental illness was redefined in the early 1990s. The number of inpatient beds in psychiatric hospitals was reduced and new methods for rehabilitation and follow-up tried out. In 1994, Vindern community psychiatric centre set up a special outpatient team for the follow-up of this group of patients. The aim of this study is to give an account of the status of these patients and to evaluate the rehabilitation programme.


METHODS
All 181 patients admitted for follow-up by the team were included in the study. Data were drawn from yearly questionnaire surveys conducted between 1994 and 1999.


RESULTS
118 (65%) patients were diagnosed with schizophrenia; 32 (18%) had a personality disorder. 93 (51%) were readmitted to hospital during the five years of follow-up. Drug abuse was a problem for 58 (32%). 114 (63%) received a disability pension. Over the period, 39 patients were transferred to follow-up in primary care.


CONCLUSIONS
Chronic mentally ill patients are a heterogeneous population. Though they have a long history of contact with psychiatric health services, they continue to live with a heavy burden of symptoms and dysfunction. The number of patients with personality disorders was greater than expected. The course, duration and severity of their illness was much like that of the schizophrenics.
Faerden
A
A
Distriktspsykiatrisk senter Vinderen Diakonhjemmets sykehus 0319 Oslo. anfaerd@online.no
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires