Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of 2040 schizophrenic outpatients in Greece (The Greek ‘ACE’ study)

Abstract

Purpose:

To evaluate treatment patterns and actual clinical care of schizophrenic patients in Greece.

Methods:

The Greek ‘ACE’ study is a descriptive, cross-sectional, multicenter national survey conducted in the outpatient setting by 101 psychiatrists (under 3 Coordinators Psychiatrists) proportionately distributed all over Greece who registered during one visit the first twenty consecutive patients presenting at their consultation. Observational period :29/09/2005 -22/12/2005.

Recruited 2040 patients over 18 years, with an ICD-10 primary diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Results:

1198 patients were males (58,73%) and 842 females (41.27%). Mean age :40.3 years.

Patient age at the time of disease diagnosis was statistically different between men (26.6) and women(28.8) (p-value<0.0001).

66% of the patients are unemployed, (52.38% due to the disease), 28.24% working and 5.41% students.

Overall, 8.21% had not received any education, 22.67%, had primary education, 8.86%,occupational training, 44.79%,secondary education and 15.47% tertiary education 30.3% of the female patients were married vs 16.6% of the male ones.

82.68% of the patients is not living alone.

In 47.94% of the patients participating, diagnosis schizophrenia had been made more than 10 years prior (escalation of percentages exposed).

Currently 5.88% of the patients were in Acute status(first attack/diagnosis),9.41% in relapse,22.16% presented active symptoms and 62.35% in chronic stable phase.

Family history of schizophrenia existed in 70.72% for males and 69.45% for females. Distribution of the family members affected by the disease exposed analytically.

Conclusions:

These results are consistent with equivalent studies carried out in Spain, France and Belgium.