engleski

30-year follow-up of a representative sample of hospitalized schizophrenic patients in Croatia

The basic population for selection of the sample consisted of 10569 Croatia's Psychiatric Case Register (CPCS) - recorded patients who had been admitted to hospital and diagnosed as schizophrenics over the period 1962-1971, regardless of possible previous admissions. Excluded from this population were all patients aged 55 or over before 1974, and those with an additional diagnosis of oligophrenia. This yielded a sample of 8069 patients. At the first stage 52 patients were selected at random, while at the second "selection units" were formed, comprising groups of patients geographically close to each other, by residential address. As round half of the subjects could not be found at the recorded address, the size of the selection units was increased to 16 patients per unit. The aim of this study is the follow-up of a natural course of schizophrenia in correlation with socioeconomic and clinical factors, as well as therapeutic treatments. During the follow-up till 1939/90 the contact with 749 patients and/or members of their family Is established. In 58 patients (7.7%) the diagnosis of schizophrenia is not confirmed using ICD 9 criteria. With 23 patients and/or members of family the contact was lost. Of the total number of schizophrenic patients (n=668) followed up in the period of 1961-1989/90 195 or 29, 2% died. Of the persons who died there were 62 or 31, 3% suicides. At the end of 1990 year there were 473 alive patients, and they are in the further life- long follow-up.

schizophrenia; demographics; suicide; mortality

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