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Causes and psychosocial consequences of schizophrenia: the opinions of Mental Health services' staff

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2014

Lorenza Magliano*
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Napoli SUN, Napoli
Corrado de Rosa
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Napoli SUN, Napoli
Manuela Guarneri
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Napoli SUN, Napoli
Pasquale Cozzolino
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Napoli SUN, Napoli
Claudio Malangone
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Napoli SUN, Napoli
Cecilia Marasco
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Napoli SUN, Napoli
Andrea Fiorillo
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Napoli SUN, Napoli
Mario Maj
Affiliation:
Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Napoli SUN, Napoli
Gruppo di Lavoro
Affiliation:
Gruppo di Lavoro: S. Marini (CSM di Fermo, AP), A. Merenda (CSM di Palermo), M. Arioli (CSM di Abbiategrasso, MI), A. Aletti (CSM di Cremona), L. Benzi (CSM di Tortona, AL), M. Bertelli (CSM di Firenze), G. Boine (CSM di San Mauro Torinese, TO), M. Virgili (CSM di Bormio, SO), M. Poppi (CSM di Portomaggiore, FE), M. Dell'Anna (CSM di Ferentino, FR), C. Cangiano (CSM di Gragnano, NA), L. Ragonese (CSM di Castel del Piano, GR), S. Cesano (CSM di Torino), L. Zen (CSM di Angri, SA), G. Saccottelli (CSM di Barletta, BA), E. Mori (CSM di Livorno), A. Figura (CSM di La Spezia), R. Zaratti (CSM di Roma), E. Gulisano (CSM di Catania), L. Aucello (CSM di Fondi, LT), G. Farsaci (CSM di Pace del Mela, ME), N. Trudu (CSM di Oristano), R. Ciavarella (CSM di Foggia), C. Mezzaluna (CSM di Ascoli Piceno), A. Sambuco (CSM di Squinzano, LE), O. Salemi (CSM di Como), L. Mandelli (CSM di Milano), A. Trisolini (CSM di Vetralla, VT), M. Calvari (CSM di Lanusei, NU).
*
Indirizzo per la corrispondenza: Dr.ssa L. Magliano, Istituto di Psichiatria, Università di Napoli SUN. Largo Madonna delle Grazie, 80138 Napoli. Fax:+39-81-566.6523, E-mail: lorenza.magliano@unina2.it

Summary

Objective – Description of the opinions about causes and psychosocial consequences of schizophrenia in a sample of psychiatric professionals, recruited in 29 Italian Mental Health Centres (MHC). Design – Each professional was asked to read a case-vignette describing a patient who met the ICD-10 criteria for schizophrenia. Referring to case-vignette, he/she was asked to fill the Questionnaire on the Opinions about Mental Illness – Professionals' version (QO-P). Professionals' opinions were explored in relation to: a) their socio-demographic variables and professional background; b) geographic location of the MHC. Setting – 29 MHC stratified by geographic area (Northern, Central, Southern Italy) and population density of their catchment areas (> 100000 inhabitants; between 100000 and 25000 inhabitants; < 25000 inhabitants) and randomly selected. Results – Data on 465 professionals were collected. 75% of the sample identified in the vignette a case of schizophrenia, 22% of depression/anxiety disorder. Factors most frequently mentioned as causes of the detected disorder were heredity (68%), stress (61%), family difficulties (46%). More pessimistic opinions about psychosocial consequences of schizophrenia were found among nurses and among professionals of Southern Italy, among those with lower educational level, older age and among those working longer in psychiatry. No statistical difference in the opinions about psychosocial consequences of schizophrenia was found among staff who referred the case-vignette to schizophrenia and those who did not. Conclusions – The results of this study outline the need to: a) include issues such as disability and psychosocial consequences of mental disorders in the basic training of professionals; b) increase the number of professionals trained in evidence-based psychosocial interventions.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2002

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References

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