title: Perceptions of problems and needs for service among middle-aged and elderly outpatients with schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders.
abstract: We examined the perceived problems and needs for services among 72 middle-aged and elderly outpatients with schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders. The survey questionnaire included 50 Likert scaled items involving everyday functioning skills, health, clinical symptoms, and social skills. Subjects assigned the highest priority to physical health and memory. Other areas of high priority were: social functioning, education about their own mental illness, and improvements in sleep and mood. Reducing frequency of psychiatric hospitalization, and drug or alcohol rehabilitation received low priority. Focused interventions targeting health-related and social issues are needed in older patients with schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, USA. lauslander@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Auslander
authors.forename: Dilip V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Jeste
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010045:Outpatients; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires