Psychiatric Home Care, Length of Hospital Stay and Risk of Rehospitalization in Patients Suffering from Schizophrenia; A Case Control Study in Al Madinah Al Munawarah Region

ObjectivesThe effectiveness of the Psychiatric Home Care program versus the traditional, hospital-centered program needs to be evaluated for proper reform of mental health policy concerning schizophrenia. The objective of the study was to compare the length of hospital stay and risk of hospital re-admission in home-based versus the hospital based services for schizophrenic patients at the Psychiatric Home Care (PHC) of the Psychiatric Hospital, Al Madinah Al Munawarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.MethodsThe study involved comparing 15 schizophrenic patients in a home-based care program for 1 year to the number and length of hospitalization they experienced in the year prior to being admitted to home based care. It also included a control group of 15 schizophrenic patients under hospital-based care. Both groups were followed up for 1 year.ResultsResults indicated that the number of hospital admissions significantly decreased in the case of patients receiving PHC.ConclusionPsychiatric Home Care is superior to hospital based treatment in the management of schizophrenia.