SCHIZOPHRENIC-PATIENTS WHO WERE NEVER TREATED - A STUDY IN AN INDIAN URBAN-COMMUNITY

Background. A significant number of patients with severe psychiatric d isorders remain untreated in the community although health services ar e available. The factors related to non-treatment are not well underst ood. Method. A door-to-door survey was conducted on an Indian urban po pulation of 100 000 using standardized screening and clinical instrume nts as a part of a larger epidemiological study. Treatment status was determined from multiple sources of information. Results. Nearly one-t hird of 261 schizophrenia patients were found never to have received t reatment. They were older in age and ill for a longer duration than th ose who had been treated and were more symptomatic and severely disabl ed. They were more often uneducated and divorced and lived with larger extended/joint families. This last factor was considered as being the important factor in determining whether the patient received treatmen t. Conclusion. The larger extended/joint family, which was able to com pensate and cope with the dysfunctional member, seemed to be the cruci al factor related to non-treatment of the schizophrenic patient.