Home visits to patients with mental illness in the community after returning

Abstract

The purposes of this descriptive research were to assess the psychiatric symptoms and explain self care skills, capabilities to work, social skills and daily living skills and relationship between these skills. The purposively recruited sample consisted of 50 respondents with mental illness living in Bangsue community in Bangkok. The instruments were: 1) a demographic data form, 2) a self care skill assessment, 3) an assessment of capabilities to work, 4) a social skills questionnaire and 5) a daily living skills questionnaire. Data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation and Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient.

           The results revealed that most of respondents have controllable symptoms. 1) The mean score of self care skills was = 3.11, SD= .938, whereas the eating ability by themselves under self care skills was shown the highest score by mean equal 3.29,  2) the mean scores of capabilities to work was 2.50 (SD= 1.103), whereas responsible tasks assigned  under capabilities to work  is the highest score by mean equal 2.67, 3) the mean score of social skills was in moderate criteria by mean equal 2.87 (SD= 2.87) respectively as dressing appropriately skill under social skills has the highest score by an average equal 3.12,  4) the daily living skills after returning to the community was in moderate criteria by mean equal 2.70 (SD= 1.296), whereas ability to do housework under daily living skills has the highest mean score by mean equal 2.93. These skills of drug taking group have higher skill than non-medication group. There was a significant positive relationship between self care skills, capabilities to work, social skills and daily living skills, whereas the group taken medication consistency has higher relationship of these skills than the group of non medication.

  Research recommendations suggested that home visit is important to monitor psychiatric symptoms. These skills are needed developing together with and psychiatric patients are required to take psychiatric medication continually after returning to the community. Home visit should provide nurse home visits to develop these skills and encouraging drug taken is necessary to reduce relapsing symptoms and better adaptive.