[Epidemiologic aspect of the problem of the disability of schizophrenic patients (incidence, chronogenic dynamics,...

Epidemiological aspects of disability have been studied in a random sample of schizophrenics living in three Moscow districts. It has been found that 39.4% of schizophrenic patients (44.2% of the patients in the productive age) are disabled due to the underlying disease. The past 20 years have seen a trend toward a decrease in the disability rate; the difference between the number of the disabled reported 20 years ago and today is 5.5%, being fully accounted for by paroxysmal forms of schizophrenia. It has been ascertained that the decision as to the patient's disability following medical examination of his or her working ability depends not only on the severity of the patient's clinical status, but also on the patient's sex. Thus, if patients with an equally grave disease are considered, women are more frequently given the status of disability which is explained by the fact that their involvement in household chores is much greater than that of males.