Chapters authored
Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation to Facilitate Recovery of People Living with Long-Term Schizophrenia in Developing Countries
Schizophrenia is characterized by irregular, alternating episodes of exacerbation and remission of psychotic symptoms. The occupational care for people living with long-term schizophrenia (PLWS) after medical treatment, for re-engagement into work, leisure, and daily-living activities, still needs attention. Personalizing follow-up care of PLWS can improve the medical-psychosocial level of patient with differing medical, physical, and psychosocial effects from their treatment exposures. This chapter highlights the call for an individual care approach that is often lacking in resource-limited countries with additional burden from entrenched stigma. Patient categorization for PLWS may be a cost-effective step forward to overcome the less effective, one-size-fits-all approach. The need to address personalized assessment of risk exposure and to remediate its consequences on function, recovery, and quality of life calls for a better interdisciplinary-care approach, and a renewed investment to ensure occupational performance after recovery. Medicine is initial, but personalized rehabilitation is warranted for much improved functioning and better quality of life. Research is also needed to evaluate and document the effectiveness of various models of interdisciplinary care for PLWS that have been developed but may not be tested/evaluated and also on models tested effective but on other long-term nonphysical conditions.
Part of the book: Psychotic Disorders