Na. Fairley et al., PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDER AND DISABILITY IN NEW-ZEALAND LONG-STAY PSYCHIATRIC-PATIENTS, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 27(4), 1993, pp. 590-594
A study was undertaken of the prevalence of physical disease, psychiat
ric disorder and deviant behaviour in a sample of 137 long stay psychi
atric patients at Porirua Hospital near Wellington, New Zealand. Patie
nts were in the main male, single, middle-aged to elderly and of Europ
ean descent. Schizophrenia was the most common diagnosis. Psychiatric
symptoms were moderately severe, the most common being unusual manneri
sms and posturing, anxiety, blunted affect, tension, unusual thought c
ontent and somatic concerns. Known physical disorders were present in
66 patients. Levels of neuroleptic medication were high and tardive dy
skinesia was observed in almost 60% of patients. Frequency of deviant
behaviour was low in absolute terms but nonetheless problematic. The f
requency of deviant behaviour was similar to those reported for Britis
h patients.