Schizophrenia and employment
Tóm tắt
Little is known about the extent to which work contributes
to the recovery of people with schizophrenia. There is
increasing interest in the subject because of new service models
and the economic cost of unemployment in people with severe
mental illness. A literature search was carried out with the aim of
investigating: a) employment rates in schizophrenia and
first-episode psychosis and the extent to which they have
changed over time; b) the barriers to work; c) the factors
associated with being employed among people with schizophrenia;
and d) whether employment influences other outcomes in
schizophrenia. There are wide variations in reported employment rates in
schizophrenia. Most recent European studies report rates between
10 % and 20%, while the rate in the US is less clear. There is a
higher level of employment among first-episode patients. The
employment rate in schizophrenia appears to have declined over
the last 50 years in the UK. Barriers to getting employment
include stigma,discrimination, fear of loss of benefits and a
lack of appropriate professional help. The most consistent
predictor of employment is previous work history. Working is
correlated with positive outcomes in social functioning, symptom
levels, quality of life and self esteem, but a clear causal
relationship has not been established. Very low employment rates are not intrinsic to
schizophrenia, but appear to reflect an interplay between the
social and economic pressures that patients face, the labour
market and psychological and social barriers to working.