Employment Opportunity and Associated Factors among Patients with Schizophrenia
Main Article Content
Abstract
Objective : To examine the employment opportunity among schizophrenic patients and
its associated factors.
Method : In a cross-sectional descriptive study, sixty-nine, 20-60 years old, outpatients
with schizophrenia were interviewed by clinician to collect personal information,
employment status and intention, patient’s attitude toward sociality and working.
Prasri Assessment Schizophrenia Scale (PASS8) and Thai version of Montreal Cognitive
Assessment (MoCA) were used for evaluating their positive symptoms, negative
symptoms and cognitive function respectively.
Result : The employment rate among schizophrenic outpatients in Thammasat University
Hospital was 43.5 %. The most common jobs in 30 employed patients were personal
business (20%), unskilled labour (16.7%), skilled labour (16.7%). The average income
was 14,863 Baht/month. Most of the patients work for non-family employers in normal
job criteria, only 23.3% were employed by their family members. Sixty-five percent of
employers have known about the patient psychiatric illness. The factors that statistically
associated with the patient’s employment status after logistic regression analysis were
pre-morbid employment status (odds ratio = 25.13, p = 0.006) and negative symptoms
(odds ratio = 0.45, p = 0.004).
Conclusion : The employment rate among Thai patients with schizophrenia was higher
than the previous studies in other countries. Pre-morbid employed and lower negative
symptoms were associated with current employment status; therefore, psychiatrists
should attend to evaluate and treat for negative symptoms which related to the patient’s
employment.
Article Details
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