title: Factors affecting treatment discontinuation and treatment outcome in patients with schizophrenia in Korea: 10-year follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There have been few long-term studies that have assessed factors influencing treatment discontinuation and long-term outcome of schizophrenia in Korea. The present study aimed to evaluate factors affecting treatment discontinuation and treatment outcome, after 10 years, in patients with schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among hospitalized patients between 1997 and 1999, 191 patients were given continuous follow-up service. We examined the clinical characteristics and outcome of patients who remained in treatment. Regression analyses were used to find any clinical factors affecting treatment discontinuation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred thirty-three patients (71.12%) discontinued the treatment. The treatment retention group contained more female patients, paranoid-type patients, patients who had shown self-harming behavior, patients receiving clozapine, and patients with good medication compliance. The recovery rate was 25%. However, 42.3% did not have gainful employment. Further, most patients couldn't live independently.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show the importance of gender, patient behavior, medication, and medication compliance in predicting treatment discontinuation in patients with schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, In-ha University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Won-Hyung
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hye-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Min-Hee
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Jeong-Seop
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jae-Nam
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Chul-Eung
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Kim