RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of day hospital care in hospitalized schizophrenic patients in terms of treatment adherence and treatment outcomes. METHODS: Among schizophrenic patients hospitalized between 2011 and 2012, 23 day hospital care patients and 40 control subjects were included in the study. All candidates underwent Beck Cognitive Insight Scale, Drug Attitude Inventory, WHO Quality of Life scale, and Psychological Well-Being Scale when their symptoms were stabilized during hospitalization, and after being discharged, 23 patients received day hospital care for two months and then changed to out-patient care while 40 patients received out-patient care immediately after discharge. At the point of two months of out-patient care, the treatment adherence of the two groups was evaluated ; tracking observation was performed until February, 2013, and survival rates were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Treatment adherence was higher in the day hospital care group than in the control group. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a higher survival rate for the day hospital care group compared to the control group. Levels of cognitive insight and quality of life were higher after day hospital care than before day hospital care in the day hospital care group. CONCLUSION: Through the study, it was confirmed that when hospitalized schizophrenic patients receive continuous day hospital care after being discharged, they receive further out patient care more faithfully. The study is considered to aid in the understanding regarding schizophrenic patients' treatment adherence issues and improvement of treatment outcomes.