A profile of selected psychiatric out-patients in South Africa

This article reflects the results of three studies done between 1988 and 1991 describing psychiatric outpatients in different towns and cities of South Africa. Two of the samples consist of Black patients and one of Asian patients. In all three studies demographic, socio-economic and illness data were gathered and analysed. A total of 230 patients were surveyed. The typical psychiatric outpatient seems to be in productive period of his life, single, but living with family. He is poorly educated, may never have been employed and is probably now unemployed. The income of this person and the household is very limited, with many people dependent on the few economically active members of the household. The person probably has a diagnosis of schizophrenia, epilepsy, depression or substance abuse. If Black, he has been certified and hospitalized at least once for a period of twelve weeks. The person is now attending the outpatient clinic regularly once a month. The socio-economic handicap of these patients is highlighted in the article, as are the implications for families having to care for them. The organization of psychiatric services is addressed in terms of differences in hospitalization rates between different samples and short-comings in the follow-up system.