Prevalence and Associated Factors of Relapse in Patent with Schizophernia At Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital,Adiss Abeba,Ethiopia

 Zewdu Shewangizaw, MSc,Department of Psychiatry, University of Arbaminch,Arbaminch, Ethiopia. Abstract                     

Background: More than 51 million people worldwide suffer from schizophrenia. Over 576,986 people affected by schizophrenia in Ethiopia. Schizophrenia relapse rates vary from 50% to 92% globally. Internationally, factors that commonly associated with relapse include poor adherence to treatment, substance abuse, co-morbid psychiatric illness, a co-morbid medical and/or surgical condition, and stressful life events.

 Objectives: To assess prevalence and associated factor of relapse in patient with schizophrenia at Amanuel mental specialized hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Methods: Institution based cross sectional study by using systematic random sampling method was conducted at Amanuel mental specialized hospital from April one to thirty 2011. Data were collected by using pretested semi structured questionnaire in form of interview technique to collect data from 442 patients. The collected data were coded, entered and analyzed by SPSS and Epi info respectively.

Result: from the total participants about 43.3% of them had meet criteria for relapse of schizophrenia. Regarding factors contributed to relapse, Participants whom face depression had increased the chance of relapse by1.95 [OR (95% C.I, 1.95(1.17, 3.25)] .Respondent’s whom develop suicidal ideation [OR (95% C.I, 9.12(4.59, 17.92)] had a chance of relapse, and drug non adherence had a significance association with relapse of schizophrenia [OR (95% C.I, 2.80(1.58, 4.96)].

Conclusion and Recommendation: The prevalence of relapse of schizophrenia is a common and major problem among Ethiopia and factors that associated with relapse were depression, drug non adherence and suicidal ideation. It is better to providing psychosocial approaches including community program in addition to antipsychotic drug therapy, the treating psychiatrist identifies and treats co morbid psychiatric illness and promoting close monitoring activities to prevent drug non adherence.

C.I-Confidence interval

 Epi info-Epidemiological information

 OR-Odds Ratio

 SPSS-Stastical Package of Social Science