Stress of Family Members in Caring for a Relative with Schizophrenia

The number of people with schizophrenia globally is estimated at about 35 million, of whom 20 million live in developing or less developed countries. Despite the rapid development in pharmacological and psychosocial treatment of schizophrenia, the dissemination of psychosocial interventions as usual practice within mental health services has been slow and patchy Specialised care and new early intervention services may be a means of engaging patients in community mental health services and reducing patients'' re-hospitalisations; however, limited evidence exists because of wide variations in implementation with little guidance or inadequate funding from the health authorities towards early detection, home treatment, and services to prevent relapse. Many newly invented neuroleptic drugs can give patients partial protection against environmental stress to the patients, but they need to be supplemented with a therapeutic social environment, especially a healthy and supportive family. However, the shortcomings of community care have produced many negative consequences for both the families and their mentally ill relatives, who are often coerced into the service to compensate for the deficiencies of the community care system. Thus, this book also addresses an important question of family care: "Are family intervention effective in promoting health and other benefits for families of people with schizophrenia?"