Political change in East Germany 1989/90 as assessed by patients with chronic schizophrenia

Theoretical models suggest a higher vulnerability of chronic schizophrenic patients for critical life events and rapid change of objective living circ umstances. On the basis of these models one may hypothesise that the politi cal change in East Germany in 1989/90 was objectively or subjectively distr essing to such patients and had a negative impact on their illness. In a re trospective longitudinal study, we investigated patients' assessment of pol itical change, life events that were potentially related to the political c hanges, impact of the changes on subjective quality of life, and hospitaliz ation rates during five year periods prior to and following the change. 120 patients with chronic schizophrenia in East Berlin and 70 in Chemnitz were examined using quantitative and qualitative methods. Patients reported mor e individual freedom and better care after 1989. They complained about stre ss due to loss of employment, financial disadvantages and rising crime rate s. Despite the occurrence of potentially change-related life events after 1 989, patients stated very little impact of the changes on their illness. Re trospectively, patients in East Berlin reported a significantly better subj ective quality of life in 1994 than in 1984. Hospitalization rates did not increase after 1989. The findings are not consistent with the hypothesis an d do not suggest that political changes in East Germany in 1989/90 had - su bjectively or objectively - a substantial negative effect on the illness of patients with chronic schizophrenia.