Differences in symptomatology and social adjustment between urban and rural schizophrenics

Summary

The symptomatology and social adjustment between urban and rural schizophrenics were compared in 275 consecutive admissions of schizophrenics, who were rated on the Katz Adjustment Scales by the patients themselves and their relatives at admission and 1 year after hospital discharge, or at readmission if it occurred within 12 months of discharge. Numerous significant differences were found in symptomatology and social adjustment between urban and rural schizophrenics. Urban schizophrenics reported lower expectations for performance of social activities than rural schizophrenics. Urban schizophrenics were perceived by relatives to be more helpless, suspicious, nervous, bizarre, hyper-active and less emotionally stable than rural schizophrenics. According to relatives' evaluations, urban schizophrenics performed less in social activities and participated less in leisure-time activities than rural schizophrenics. Relatives of urban schizophrenics were also found to have lower expectations for patients' performance of social activities than their rural counterparts.