FIRST HOSPITALIZED SCHIZOPHRENICS IN MANN HEIM AND PORTO - DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS AND COURSE OF ILLNESS

The course of illness of a sample of schizophrenic patients hospitaliz ed for the first time was investigated in two different cultural areas . Two subsamples of patients were identified, one of n = 381 patients of the city of Mannheim and one of n = 173 patients of the city of Por to. The course of illness, defined by number of rehospitalizations, wa s observed for two years. In both subsamples there was no difference b etween such variables, which are influential on a favourable or positi ve course of illness, but there are great differences between the subg roups referring to total number of days spent in hospital, age or mari tal status. These results are not contradictory but can be explained b y the different sociocultural background and by the different developm ental status of the extramural care system for the schizophrenic patie nts in Mannheim and Porto.