Search

A system of ward support for chronic psychiatric patients in an urban community is described, which makes available ward and staff facilities throughout the 24 hours and at weekends. Details are given of a group of 41 patients using this facility over a period of six months. Two types of use of the ward were identified, based on the amount of social interaction with other staff and patients. The 'unengaged', with a high rate of visits, were mainly schizophrenic patients with an early first onset of illness and currently a scanty social network (small primary group and often no confidant). The 'engaged', with a lower rate of visits, were people with a later onset and a larger social network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on various topics related to medicine in Great Britain. Aspects of rubella vaccination; Details on drug compliance in hypertensive patients; Lists of radiological techniques for controlling gastrointestinal bleeding.

Patients with an acute onset of schizophrenia and their relatives were seen separately to establish the frequency of certain kinds of crisis and life chance in the 13 weeks before onset. A general population group was seen for comparison. The two groups differed markedly in the proportion experiencing, such changes in the 3-week period prior to onset (or to interview in the comparison group). Long-term tension in the home appeared to increase the chances of patients becoming disturbed after such changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DSM-III has largely been based upon essentialist notions of increasingly accurate and 'valid' definitions of diseases. A nominalist approach would facilitate study of aetiological factors and variables in the natural history of diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on residential care for patients with chronic psychiatric illness in Great Britain. Incidence of poor development among old patients; Diagnoses of the disease; Inadequacy of the plans of the Department of Health and Social Security on providing treatment and care for the patients.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to Van Horn and McManus' meta-analysis of ventricular enlargement in schizophrenia in the May 1992 issue.