[Investigation of the life situation of schizophrenic and paranoid patients at the Mental Health Care Institution in the City of Debrecen].
Even today we have to reckon with the serious personal and social consequences of schizophrenic diseases. In spite of medical treatment and nursing, psychiatric nursing homes have not been able to obtain real improvement in those serious consequences.


OBJECTIVE
To survey whether an improvement can be detected as compared to the situation 25 years ago: how the disease affects the fate and progress of our patients in certain areas (marital status, employment, disability, guardianship).


METHODS
Doctors' notes and information obtained by nurses during visits about patients belonging to categories F20.029.9 of ICD, compared to a group of patients not suffering from schizophrenia (F40.0-F60.9).


RESULTS
The data of 2,397 patients in total have been processed. Of these, 893 belonged to categories F20-29. Compared to the 1,504 patients not suffering from schizophrenia, only a 1/3 of them were employed and 12 times as many were on disability pension. Among those of 35-54 years of age, there were four times as many singles, fewer were married, and five times fewer had an employment, three times as many received disability pension. Less than 10% of those in category F20 were employed, compared to 49% in the other group. The need for long-time treatment and nursing is shown by the fact that while the majority of those belonging to categories F40-69, no longer need nursing at about the age of 50, approximately 40% of those in F20 have to be nursed in their old age as well.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a lot to be done to improve the quality of life of the patients and their rehabilitation. In these important tasks, both psychiatric nursing taking place in the residential area (community psychiatry) and social care will play an indispensable role.
Albert
Kálmánchey
K
Városi Egeszségügyi Szolgáltató Kht Pszichiátriai Gondozóintézete, Debrecen.
D000328:Adult; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D007872:Legal Guardians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010259:Paranoid Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D010415:Pensions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012563:Schizophrenia, Paranoid / Q000453:epidemiology