[Importance of medical information for the institutionalized patient]

Medical information given to patients, notably to psychiatric patients, is guided by laws. Before starting any treatment the patient's informed consent is needed. One of the criteria of validity for such a consent is adequate information of the subject. This study shows that certain factors interfere with the institutionalized patient's initial knowledge about medication, hospitalization and illness. It points out that learning is diminished by two factors: the diagnostic of schizophrenia and the length of stay in the hospital. However learning is not changed by severity of symptoms. On the other hand the initial knowledge level is diagnosis independent but altered in case of intense psychiatric symptomatology. Possible explanations of these data are discussed. In conclusion, the importance of the variable of learning capacity is shown in the practice of the informed consent for psychiatric patients. The learning capacity must be taken into account when the patient is informed. Finally, additional research on that subject is indicated particularly concerning the persons disabled by schizophrenia.