Abstract

In the community but not of it: The Social Integration of Nigerian Patients with Schizophrenia

Author(s): Temitope Ogundare*, Peter O. Onifade, Deji Ogundapo, Senait Ghebrehiwet, Christina P.C. Borba and David C. Henderson

Background: Schizophrenia is a severe and chronic psychotic disorder leading to impairment of most domains of cognitive functioning and functional disability. Social integration is central to the concept of recovery for patients with schizophrenia.

Aim and Objectives: To determine the correlates and predictors of social integration among patients with schizophrenia attending the outpatient clinic of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Abeokuta, Nigeria.

Methods: One hundred and fifty-one patients attending the outpatient clinic were recruited. MINI-PLUS (Psychotic module), Social Integration Scale, and PANSS were administered.

Results: Factors associated with poor social integration were being single (F=3.116, df=2,148, p=0.047), being unemployed (F=5.169, df=2,148, p=0.007), and PANSS negative score (β=-1.133, t=-3.807, p=0.0001). In the regression analysis, only unemployment (β=4.337, p=0.025) and greater severity of negative symptomatology (β=-0.936, p=0.002) emerged as independent predictors of poor social integration among the respondents.

Conclusion: Patients with schizophrenia have poor social integration. Clinicians planning rehabilitation of patients with schizophrenia should pay attention to factors that predict poor levels of social integration.

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