Aftercare of schizophrenic patients: pharmacotherapy and consistency of therapists.

Abstract

Fifty-seven chronic schizophrenic patients were followed an average of six years after index mental hospital admission and compared on the variables of depot fluphenazine (N = 26) versus oral antipsychotic medications (N = 31), and of consistent aftercare with one therapist (N = 17) versus aftercare with multiple therapists or caregivers (N = 40). The patients who had been maintained on depot fluphenazine scored significantly better on measures of mental status than did those on oral medications, but had a significantly lower score on work performance. The group with consistent aftercare scored better on self-ratings and time without serious psychotic symptoms, but showed no difference on objective mental status when compared with the multiple-therapist aftercare group. The authors conclude that consistent aftercare and provision of medications that do not require a major commitment by the patient to remain well may make a small but significant contribution to the welfare of the chronic schizophrenic patient.