Family caregivers and outcome of people with schizophrenia in rural China: 14-year follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the differences in 14-year outcomes of persons with schizophrenia with and without family caregiver(s) in a rural community in China. METHODS: All participants with schizophrenia (n = 510) aged 15 years and older were identified in a 1994 epidemiological investigation of 123,572 people and followed up in 2004 and 2008 in Xinjin County, Chengdu, China. RESULTS: Individuals without family caregiver in 1994 had significantly higher rate of homelessness (23.8 %) and lower rate of survival (47.5 %) in 2008 than those with family caregivers (5.1 and 70.9 %). Compared with individuals with family caregivers, those without family caregivers were more likely to be male, live alone, have fewer family members, lower family economic status, lower rates of marriage and complete remission, higher mean scores on PANSS and lower mean score on GAF in 2008. The predictors of participants without family caregiver in 2008 included having a small number of family members at baseline and being male. CONCLUSIONS: The absence of a family caregiver is a predictive factor of poorer long-term outcome of persons with schizophrenia in the rural community. The critical role of family caregiving should be incorporated in the planning and delivering of mental health policies and community-based mental health services.

Different outcomes of never-treated and treated patients with schizophrenia: 14-year follow-up study in rural China.

BACKGROUND: The long-term outcome of never-treated patients with schizophrenia is unclear. AIMS: To compare the 14-year outcomes of never-treated and treated patients with schizophrenia and to establish predictors for never being treated. METHOD: All participants with schizophrenia (n = 510) in Xinjin, Chengdu, China were identified in an epidemiological investigation of 123 572 people and followed up from 1994 to 2008. RESULTS: The results showed that there were 30.6%, 25.0% and 20.4% of patients who received no antipsychotic medication in 1994, 2004 and 2008 respectively. Compared with treated patients, those who were never treated in 2008 were significantly older, had significantly fewer family members, had higher rates of homelessness, death from other causes, being unmarried, living alone, being without a caregiver and poor family attitudes. Partial and complete remission in treated patients (57.3%) was significantly higher than that in the never-treated group (29.8%). Predictors of being in the never-treated group in 2008 encompassed baseline never-treated status, being without a caregiver and poor mental health status in 1994. CONCLUSIONS: Many patients with schizophrenia still do not receive antipsychotic medication in rural areas of China. The 14-year follow-up showed that outcomes for the untreated group were worse. Community-based mental healthcare, health insurance and family intervention are crucial for earlier diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation in the community.

Risk factors for poor work functioning of persons with schizophrenia in rural China.

BACKGROUND: The long-term work performance of persons with schizophrenia in the community is unclear. This study examined the status of long-term work functioning and the predictors of poor work status among patients with schizophrenia in a Chinese rural area. METHODS: A 10-year follow-up investigation (1994-2004) of a cohort (n = 510) of persons with schizophrenia was conducted in Xinjin County, Chengdu, China. RESULTS: Compared with baseline data, work functioning of patients with schizophrenia deteriorated after 10 years. The rates of not working increased significantly from 12.0% in 1994 to 23.0% in 2004. Bivariate analyses showed that the poor work functioning in 2004 was significantly associated with male gender, older age, older age of first onset, higher level of education, longer duration of illness, lower family economic status, lack of caregivers, poor work status in 1994, living in shabby or unstable house, marked symptoms, and higher score on the Social Disability Screening Schedule (SDSS). In multiple logistic regression analyses, higher score of SDSS and poor work status in 1994 were identified as unique predictors of poor work status in 2004. CONCLUSION: The status of work functioning of persons with schizophrenia decreased over the course of the illness. The risk factors for poor work functioning and specific socio-cultural environment should be considered in planning community mental health services and rehabilitation for these patients.

Differences in mortality and suicidal behaviour between treated and never-treated people with schizophrenia in rural China.

BACKGROUND: Many people with schizophrenia remain untreated in the community. Long-term mortality and suicidal behaviour among never-treated individuals with schizophrenia in the community are unknown. AIMS: To explore 10-year mortality and suicidal behaviour among never-treated individuals with schizophrenia. METHOD: We used data from a 10-year prospective follow-up study (1994-2004) among people with schizophrenia in Xinjin County, Chengdu, China. RESULTS: The mortality rate for never-treated individuals with schizophrenia was 2761 per 100 000 person-years during follow-up. There were no significant differences of rates of suicide and all-cause mortality between never-treated and treated individuals. The standardised mortality ratio (SMR) for never-treated people was 10.4 (95% CI 7.2-15.2) and for treated individuals 6.5 (95% CI 5.2-8.5). Compared with treated people, never-treated individuals were more likely to be older, poorer, have a longer duration of illness, marked symptoms and fewer family members. CONCLUSIONS: The never-treated individuals have similar mortality to and a higher proportion of marked symptoms than treated people, which may reflect the poor outcome of the individuals without treatment. The higher rates of mortality, homelessness and never being treated among people with schizophrenia in low- and middle-income nations might challenge presumed wisdom about schizophrenia outcomes in these countries.

Perception of social support and psychotic symptoms among persons with schizophrenia: A strategy to lessen caregiver burden.

BACKGROUND: Improving patients' perception of social support is significant not only for their re-adaptation to life but also for alleviating caregivers' burden. AIM: This study aims to examine an integrated model regarding social support, psychotic symptoms and caregiver burden. METHODS: Persons with schizophrenia (N1 = 300) and their family caregivers (N2 = 300) in Xinjin County, Chengdu, China, completed the survey to report their demographics, patients' perception of social support (Duke Social Support Index), psychotic symptoms (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) and caregiver burden (Burden Scale for Family Caregivers, Short Version). Structural equation modelling was utilised to test the proposed model. RESULTS: The degree of caregiver burden differed significantly within subgroups of patients' gender and education, as well as caregivers' gender, education and employment. Caregiver burden was negatively related to patients' age and household income. Social interaction partially mediated the relationship between instrumental and subjective social support (total effect = 0.451, p < .01). Subjective social support fully mediated the impact of social interaction on psychotic symptoms (total effect = -0.099, p < .05). In the final model, instrumental social support was positively associated with social interaction (p < .001) and increased subjective social support (p < .05). Increased subjective social support showed correlation with a lower degree of psychotic symptoms (p < .01), which was related to a lower level of caregiver burden (p < .001). CONCLUSION: This study shows the associations of patients' social support with psychotic symptoms and caregiver burden. Culture-specific psychosocial interventions should be provided for both patients and caregivers to enrich external support and reduce psychotic symptoms and caregivers' burden within the health care environment.

Disease-related stressors of caregiving burden among different types of family caregivers of persons with schizophrenia in rural China.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the impacts of schizophrenia on different types of caregiving burden. AIM: This study aims to examine how the severity of schizophrenia, social functioning and aggressive behavior are associated with caregiving burden across different kinship types. METHOD: The analytic sample included 300 dyads of persons with schizophrenia and their family caregivers in Xinjin, Chengdu, China. The 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) was utilized to identify the patients, whose symptom severity, social functioning and aggressive behavior were measured. Caregiving burden was estimated using the Burden Scale for Family Caregivers-short (BSFC-s). RESULTS: A higher level of burden was significantly associated with female caregivers, larger family size, lower income, worse symptoms, poorer functional status and more aggressive behaviors. Parent caregivers showed greater burden if the patients had better functioning of social interest and concern or more aggression toward property. Mother caregivers showed greater burden than fathers. Spouses tended to perceive greater burden if the patients had better marital functioning, poorer occupational functioning or more aggressive behaviors toward property. Patients attacking others or a father with schizophrenia was related to a higher burden of child caregivers. A heavier burden of other relatives was correlated with patients' more verbal aggression and self-harm. CONCLUSION: This study shows the distinct impacts of disease-related factors on the caregiving burden across different kinship types. Our findings have implications for health-care professionals and practitioners in terms of developing more targeted family-based or individualized intervention to ameliorate burden according to kinship types and deal with behavioral and functional problems in schizophrenia.

Mortality of geriatric and younger patients with schizophrenia in the community.

Little is known about the differences in mortality among non-institutionalized geriatric and younger patients with schizophrenia. In this study long-term mortality and suicidal behavior of all the geriatric (age > or = 65 years), middle-age (age 41-64 years), and young (age 15-40 years) subjects with schizophrenia living in a Chinese rural community were compared. A 10 year follow-up investigation among a 1994 cohort (n = 510) of patients with schizophrenia was conducted in Xinjin County, Chengdu, China. Compared with young subjects, geriatric subjects with schizophrenia were more likely to be female, have more previous physical illness, never accepted treatment, and practice religious (p < or = 0.01). There were no significant differences of suicide attempts among the three groups. Young subjects had a higher rate of suicide (1,033.8 per 100,000 person-years), and geriatric subjects had a higher rate of deaths due to other causes (accident and natural causes) (4,314.2 per 100,000 person-years). Standardized mortality ratios for both suicide and deaths due to other causes were highest in young subjects and the lowest in geriatric subjects. Patients with schizophrenia in all age groups had a marked increase in mortality and suicide. Specific intervention strategies for decreasing mortality and suicide should be developed for patients with schizophrenia in different age groups.

Family history of psychosis and outcome of people with schizophrenia in rural China: 14-year follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the differences in 14-year outcomes of persons with schizophrenia with and without family history of psychosis in a rural community in China. METHODS: All participants with schizophrenia (n=510) aged 15 years and older were identified in a 1994 epidemiological investigation of 123,572 people and followed up in 2004 and 2008 in Xinjin County, Chengdu, China. RESULTS: Individuals with positive family history of schizophrenia had significantly younger age of first onset than those with negative family history of schizophrenia in 1994 and 2004. Compared with individuals with negative family history of schizophrenia, those with positive family history of schizophrenia had significantly higher rate of homelessness and lower rate of death due to other reasons in 10-year (2004) and 14-year follow-up (2008). There were no significantly differences of mean scores on PANSS, SDSS and GAF in 2008 between positive and negative family history groups. CONCLUSIONS: The positive family history of schizophrenia is strongly related to younger age of onset, and may predict a poorer long-term outcome (e.g., higher rate of homelessness) in persons with schizophrenia in the rural community. The findings have implications for further studies on specific family-related mechanisms on clinical treatment and rehabilitation, as well as for planning and delivering of community-based mental health services.

The family economic status and outcome of people with schizophrenia in Xinjin, Chengdu, China: 14-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about whether family economic status might influence the long-term (e.g. over 10 years) outcome of persons with schizophrenia in the community. AIM: To examine the differences in outcome at 14-year follow-up of persons with schizophrenia from high versus low family economic status backgrounds in a Chinese rural area. METHOD: A prospective 14-year follow-up study was conducted in six townships in Xinjin County, Chengdu, China. All participants with schizophrenia ( n = 510) were identified in an epidemiological investigation of 123,572 people aged 15 years and older and followed up from 1994 to 2008. RESULTS: Individuals from low family economic status (