The study of risk factors for re-admission in schizophrenic patients at Siriraj Hospital 1992-1996.

ABSTRACT

A retrospective study of eighty - three in - patients with schizophrenia re-admitted to Siriraj Hospital between 1992 and 1996 was carried out to determine what risk factors had accounted for their re-admission. Of the 83 patients, 44 (53%) had previously been admitted at least twice, while 39 (47%) had been treated once. Only the duration of illness was found to be significantly different between these two groups. This was more prominent in those who had been ill for more than five years. When a comparison was made between patients who relapsed within one year and those with a longer remission period, there were significant differences in their occupation, childhood history and their family responsibilities. Patients with a remission period of one-year or less appeared to have a worse prognosis and tended to be have chronic disease, be more depedent and we found that in childhood they had been brought up by their own parent.