A cross-sectional study of factors predicting relapse in people with schizophrenia

Abstract

© 2020, Thailand Nursing and Midwifery Council. All rights reserved. Schizophrenia is classified as a chronic mental disorder. It frequently induces relapse that can negatively impact the person and their family’s quality of life. This cross-sectional study explored the main effect and interaction effect of factors related to relapse in people with schizophrenia. Three hundred fifty-two participants were included in this study. Four instruments used to collect data: A demographic data form; a Brief Psychotic Rating Scale; Medication Taking Behavior, and Perceived Social Support from Family scales. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were used to analyze data. Identified factors that can explain relapse in people with schizophrenia were the age of onset of schizophrenia, medication adherence, and the interaction effect between family history of psychiatric disorders and family support. Thus, the important implication for nursing practice is to develop an intervention that emphasizes family support to encourage people with schizophrenia to continue taking medication and develop effective mechanisms to cope with medication side-effect and stressful life event to prevent relapse for this population. In addition, close monitoring should be emphasized for those who have a family history of psychiatric disorders and earlier age of illness.