Case-management for patients with schizophrenia in Iran: a comparative study of the clinical outcomes of Mental Health Workers and Consumers' Family Members as case managers.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of case-management services and the feasibility of considering the Consumers' Family Members (CFM) as service providers in Iran as a developing country. Three trained case-managers were allocated into each group (Mental Health Worker-MHW and CFM), providing 12 months of home-visit services for 129 individuals with schizophrenia. Burden, knowledge, quality of life and the general health condition of the caregivers, as well as positive/negative symptoms and social skills of the consumers were evaluated. Most clinical variables were improved without significant differences between groups. The hospitalization rate was reduced by 67%.
Department of Psychiatry, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Mental Health Research Centre, Crossroads of Hemmat and Chamran Highways, Tehran, Iran. kmalakouti@iums.ac.ir
Seyed Kazem
SK
Malakouti
Marzieh
M
Nojomi
Lili
L
Panaghi
Narjes
N
Chimeh
Yasaman
Y
Mottaghipour
Mohammad Taghi
MT
Joghatai
Ahmad Ali
AA
Noorbala
Jafar
J
Bolhari
D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019090:Case Management; D003256:Community Participation; D003688:Deinstitutionalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000078329:Workforce; D055815:Young Adult