Factors that impede the discharge of long-term schizophrenic inpatients

The aim of the present study was to explore factors that impede the discharge of long-term schizophrenic inpatients, and it was focused on the patients' subjective views. Semi-structured interviews based on the Occupational Self Assessment (OSA) of 73 long-term inpatients with schizophrenia and 24 schizophrenic patients who had been discharged from hospitals after a long-term stay were conducted. Logistic regression analysis was performed. The results revealed that the factors that impeded the discharge of schizophrenic patients from hospitals were advanced age, severe mental symptoms, and higher rating of one's own capabilities in daily living. These results suggest that schizophrenic long-term inpatients require occupational interventions that help patients to have a realistic image of their daily life after discharge and that invite them to update their self-assessments of competence related to the skills needed for daily life.