RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to estimate the number of serious and persistent mentally ill patients in Korea. METHODS: Study populations were recruited from medical insurance data of two district areas one rural and the other urban areas. Subjects were all mentally ill who had ever visited any hospital in 1993 and were diagnosed as having psychosis, personality disorder and drug abuse. We conducted a home visiting survey applying semi-structured diagnostic interview, assessing the level of social adjustment with Strauss-Carpenter Scale, and past psychiatric history by the trained researchers, in October and November, 1994. RESULTS: According to diagnostic assessment, schizophrenic patients constituted the major portion(61.1%) of study subjects. The distribution of occupational functions and social contacts was variable according to diagnosis. Most schizophrenic patients were unemployed or worked less than 6 months in the previous year(67.2%), and showed poor social contact(72.3%). But affective disorder patients were relatively independent in job maintenance and social relationship. Alcoholic patients lay between those of schizophrenic and affective disorder groups. It was estimated that about 87,000 adult Koreans were suffering from chronic mental disorders which seriously interfere with their daily life. CONCLUSIONS: Serious and persistent mentally ill patients were common in Korea. Community support program should be provided for them.