Representative study on the distribution of schizophrenia patients to medical health care institutions in Germany

On the basis of a representative paper and pencil survey with office based psychiatrists, neurologists, psychiatric out-patient clinics and psychiatri c wards/hospitals it is shown that in Germany in 1997 about 136,000 adult p atients with diagnosed schizophrenia (F20 according to ICD 10) are attended by specialists. 75.4% of these patients are in attention of office based s pecialists, and 21.3% are attended by out-patient clinics. According to the details of psychiatric wards and hospitals, 3.3% of the patients are under long term (>1 year) medical attention at hospitals. The amount of schizoph renia patients being under attention of specialists corresponds to 0.21% of the German population >18 years. For patients who receive out-patient trea tment it is shown that they are under medical attention at hospitals for av erage 22 days per year, and for 3.4 days they are under medical attention a t rehabilitation centers.