A 5‐year retrospective investigation of all first admitted schizophrenics to Danish psychiatric institutions in the fiscal year from April 1st, 1970, to April 1st, 1971

Abstract

A 5‐year retrospective study of 492 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia is reported. 81 % of the patients were discharged less than 6 months after their first admission, mostly to their homes. About 80% of the patients were admitted more than 1 time. After the first year, the readmission rate was about 15 % of all admissions. Thirty‐five per cent of the patients were committed one or more times to a mental hospital. The patient spent an average of 418 days in hospital. 9–60 % of the patients can be considered to be chronically ill, depending on the definition of chronicity. After 2 years in hospital, the chance of discharge was 15%. Suicide rate was 9 times higher in the patients than in the normal population. Sixty‐eight per cent of patients got a disability pension during the period of the study. The incidence rate of schizophrenia differed by a factor of 14 between capital‐city area and rural districts. The expectancy of schizophrenia was estimated to be between 0.34 % ‐ 0.67 %, depending on sex.