The frequency of regular participation in the community mental health center program of patients with the diagnosis of psychotic disorders and evaluation of related factors

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: This study was conducted to examine the frequency of regular participation in the Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) program of patients with the diagnosis of psychotic disorders and to evaluate related all factors. METHODS: The cross-sectional study included 105 patients, diagnosing with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders according to the DSM-5, who were registered at the CMHC in İstanbul. Inventory tools included a Socio-demographic Information Form, A Questionnaire on Clinical Characteristics of Patients Registered to the CMHC and their Opinions on CMHC, Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS), Internalized Stigma in Mental Illness (ISMI), Turkish Version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF TR) and the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI). RESULTS: The frequency of regular participation in the CMHC program was found to be 13.8%. Three quarters of the patients with regular participation in the CMHC program were males and the patients with social insurance had a higher frequency of regular participation (p<0.05). Those having regular participation had a history of illness for more than 17.5 years and history of hospitalization (p<0.05). Regular participation in the CMHC program was also associated with a higher family support (p<0.05). Most affecting factors that encouraged the patients to visit the CMHC ranked in the following order: friendly relations of CMHC employees (100%), easy access to the counselor (95%), peaceful CMHC environment (92.5%), and easy access to a psychiatrist (92.5%). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In this context, attempts to increase the participation of patients in CMHC programs should consider the factors that improve regular participation.

Keywords

• community mental health center
• psychotic disorders
• schizophrenia
• regular participation.