Factors Underlying the Retention in the Community of Chronic Unhospitalized Schizophrenics

Abstract

This investigation arose from the clinical observation that there are certain people who are psychiatrically very ill yet live at home or in the community, whilst others no less disturbed are referred to mental hospitals and kept there for varying periods. Although several excellent studies have been done on chronic schizophrenics and other serious mental illnesses after discharge from hospital, no study has been found in the literature concerning chronic cases who have never been hospitalized, and it was hoped that a careful investigation of such patients and their circumstances, i.e. social and economic conditions, the organization and attitudes of the family, the psychiatric condition of the patients, etc., would lead to a better knowledge of community care.