Sociodemographic characteristics of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in Psychiatric Hospital, „Skopje”, Skopje, from 2019 to 2022

Sabani, Suzana and Miloseva, Lence (2023) Sociodemographic characteristics of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in Psychiatric Hospital, „Skopje”, Skopje, from 2019 to 2022. Medical Journal Medicus, 28 (1). pp. 67-72. ISSN 1409-6366 UDC 61

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Abstract

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder that represents a clinical syndrome that consists of psychological
symptoms and behavioral changes. Findings from worldwide research and literary sources point to the connection
between sociodemographic characteristics and schizophrenic disorders.
Goal: To analyze the role that sociodemographic characteristics (gender, age, marital status, educational degree,
employment and social status) in patients with acute and chronic diagnoses of schizophrenia.
Method: This research represents a retrospective and prospective study, based on the data collected from patients
that have been and are still being treated in the Psychiatric Hospital “Skopje” in Skopje. This was done thanks to
the official approval and cooperation of the management team of the hospital. The data is collected from 2387
patients with chronic and acute conditions of the illness. These patients were hospitalized in the period between
January 2019, to December 2022, and they have been diagnosed with schizophrenia according to the International
Classification of Illness (ICD). The identity of the patients is protected and their data were collected and analyzed
using identification codes. The statistical analysis of the data was done using the software SPSS (Statistical
Package for the Social Science, version 20).
Results: The total number of patients who received treatment for schizophrenia during the time period 2019-
2022 is 2387 patients. The first group consists of 558 patients with a diagnosis of their first schizophrenia episode
out of which 429 (77.0%) are men and 129 (23.0%) are women. The second group consisted of 1829 patients with
chronic schizophrenia out of which 1396 (71.0%) are men and 523 (29.0%) are women. The results show that in the
cases of acute schizophrenia, the biggest number of patients fall in the age ranges between 20-29 & 30-39 years
of age, while in the group of chronic patients, they are aged 40-49 years old, and above 50. Our results indicate
that schizophrenia is more likely to happen to people who live in urban cities. Regarding educational status, the
highest number of patients are those with high school and/or elementary school education, while regarding their
employment status, most of the subjects are unemployed, retired, or are beneficiaries of social aid.
Conclusion: The represented data shows that age, gender, marital status, education, and employment status
are related to schizophrenia. With adequate psychiatric and psychological help, in the form of counseling and
psychotherapeutic treatment, the patients can be helped to more easily accept and overcome the illness. These
results can be of help to the families of those suffering from schizophrenia, but also to the professionals who work
with treating schizophrenia, through the form of counseling, therapy adapting to the illness, creating a new
lifestyle, and promoting and sustaining mental health.
Keywords: schizophrenic disorder, patients, sociodemographic characteristics, prevention, mental health

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Medical and Health Sciences > Basic medicine Medical and Health Sciences > Health sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Medical Science
Depositing User:	Lence Miloseva
Date Deposited:	30 Nov 2023 13:05
Last Modified:	30 Nov 2023 13:05
URI:	https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/id/eprint/32693

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