Skip to main content
Log in

Schizophrenia in general practice: a national survey of general practitioners in Ireland

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Irish Journal of Medical Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Chronic schizophrenia is challenging to manage in primary care.

Aims

We sought to establish the views of General Practitioners about managing patients with chronic schizophrenia in primary care.

Methods

A cross-sectional, postal survey questionnaire of a randomly selected sample of 20% of GPs was carried out.

Results

Most GPs (97.2%) have at least one person with schizophrenia attending their practice. A substantial number of GPs (22.2%) treat cases of schizophrenia without specialist input following an initial referral to psychiatric services. Almost all (88.7%) advised patients who had experienced multiple relapses to remain on medication indefinitely. One third of GPs reported that they always experience difficulties managing patients with schizophrenia in their practice. Non-adherence with prescribed medication and loss to follow-up were the commonest impediments to treatment encountered.

Conclusion

GPs require appropriate back up from specialist services to enable their management of chronic schizophrenia.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kamali M, Kelly L, Gervin M, Browne S, Larkin C, O’Callaghan E. The prevalence of comorbid substance misuse and its influence on suicidal ideation among in-patients with schizophrenia.Acta Psychiatr Scand 2000; 101(6):452–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Brugha ST, Wing JK, Smith BL Physical health of the long term mentally ill in the community. Is there unmet need?BrJ Psychiatry 1988; 155:777–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. King MB. Management of patients with schizophrenia in general practice.Br J Gen Practice, Aug 1992; 42:310–1.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Kendrick T, Burns T. Mental health teams should concentrate on psychiatric patients with greatest needs.BMJ 1996; 313:884–5.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Kendrick T, Burns T, Freeling P. Randomised controlled trial of teaching general practitioners to carry out structured assessments of their long term mentally ill patients.BMJ 1995; 311:93–97.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Simon A.E, Umbricht D, Merlo MCG. Swiss General Practitioners and first Episode Psychoses: Results of a National Survey.Schizophrenia Research 2002; 53 (3) suppl. 15.

    Google Scholar 

  7. National General Practice Survey. Dublin: Irish College of General Practitioners, 1997.

  8. O’Dowd T, Sinclair H, McSweeney M. Stress and morale in general practice in the Republic of Ireland. Dublin: Irish College of General Practitioners, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Edwards P, Roberts I, Clarke M, DiGuiseppi C et al. Increasing response rates to postal questionnaires: systematic review.BMJ. 2002 May 18; 324(7347): 1183.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Ashworth M, Clement S, Sandhu J, Farley N, Ramsay R, Davies T. Psychiatric referral rates and the influence of on-site mental health workers in general practice.Br J Gen Practitioners, Jan 2002; 52 (474): 39–41.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Wilkinson G, Piccinelli M, Falloon I, Krekorian H, McLees S. An evaluation of community based psychiatric care for people with treated long term mental illness.Br J Psychiatry, 1995; 167:26–37.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Kendrick T, Burns T, Freeling P, Sibbald B. Provision of care to general practice patients with disabling long term mental illnesses: a survey of 16 practices.Br J Gen Practice 1994; 44:301–5.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Gavin B, Cullen W, O’Donoghue B, Carlos J, Bury G, O’Callaghan E. First Episode Schizophrenia In General Practice: A National Survey of General Practitioners in Ireland. In Press.

  14. Kendrick T, Sibbald B, Burns T, Freeling P. Role of general practitioners in care of long term mentally ill patients.BMJ 1991; 302:508–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Kamali M, Kelly L, Gervin M, Browne S, Larkin C, O’Callaghan E. Psychopharmocology, insight and comorbid substance misuse and medication compliance among patients with schizophrenia.Psych Serv 2001, Feb 52(2) 161–3

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. O’Donnell C, Donohoe G, Sharkey L et al. Compliance Therapy: A Randomised Controlled Trial.BMJ 2003 Oct 11; 327(7419):834.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. O’Callaghan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gavin, B., Cullen, W., O’Donoghue, B. et al. Schizophrenia in general practice: a national survey of general practitioners in Ireland. Ir J Med Sci 174, 38–42 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03169146

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03169146

Keywords

Navigation