[Treatment of schizophrenic patients in primary care before hospital admission]

The study aimed at investigation outpatient treatment of schizophrenic patients referred to a psychiatric hospital by general practitioners (GP) in comparison to psychiatrists in private practice (PP).

Data of the German psychiatric basic documentation system (BADO) of all schizophrenic inpatients admitted to a psychiatric hospital in 2003 were analysed (n = 578).

Schizophrenic patients of GP and PP differed not regarding any sociodemographic or disease-related variable. Also concerning psychopharmacological pre-treatment, no significant differences between schizophrenics of GP and PP could be revealed. 84.1% of GP-patients and 90.6% of PP-patients had a psychopharmacological pretreatment. 81.2% of GP-patients with antipsychotics (PP: 77.7%). Conventional antipsychotics were prescribed to 49.3% of GP-patients (PP 50.9%), atypicals to 44.9% (PP: 39.6%). Antidepressants were given to 18.8% of GP-patients and 22.6% of PP-patients, tranquilizers to 4.3% of GP-patients and 9.4% of PP-patients, mood stabilizers to 18.8% of GP-patients and 17.0% of PP-patients.

GP and PP treat the same population of schizophrenic patients, psychopharmacotherapy delivered by GP and PP differed only slightly (by number). Treatment of schizophrenics could be improved with respect to current treatment guidelines.