Hr. Winefield et Ej. Harvey, DIFFERENCES ACCORDING TO RECRUITMENT METHOD IN SUBJECTS WHO CARE FOR A RELATIVE WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 28(2), 1994, pp. 239-243
With growing emphasis on community mental health care, there is increa
sed research interest in the needs of people who care for a relative s
uffering from chronic mental illness. This methodological note examine
s the differences between two samples of caregivers for schizophrenia
sufferers. The two samples were recruited by different methods from di
fferent sources: one a mail survey of a self-help group and the other
through patients at psychiatric hospitals and outreach clinics. Differ
ences were minimal and recruitment through self-help groups is advocat
ed as the more cost effective method.