[Occupational status of Saxony social psychiatry service clients as a result of the reunification of Germany].

Purpose: Evaluating the establishment of social psychiatry services (SPS) in Saxony was part of a public health research project.
Method: One of the variables in a specifically designed assessment instrument--used in 8 SPS during the period 08/95-01/97--was the retrospective statement concerning changes in the client's vocational situation caused by the social upheavals in 1989.
Results: 40.6% (n = 335) answered in the affirmative. Men are significantly overrepresented in the group with vocational changes; compared to the population without vocational changes the proportion of currently unemployed persons (56%) is five times higher; only 16% are still employed. Neurotic/personality disorders as well as brief mental disturbances and dependency disorders are more frequent than in the whole SPS-clientele.--The most important constellation (19%) identified by a configuration-frequency analysis is that of patients with prolonged psychotic disorders (started < 1990, not associated with dependency disorder) who were employed at sheltered workplaces during the GDR-period despite of their mental disorder.
Conclusion: Following the political German reunification possibilities of vocational rehabilitation have deteriorated and up to now the number of newly established alternatives in regional mental health services is insufficient.