An Evaluation of Psychiatric After-Care in a Developing Country (Fiji)

Abstract

SummaryThe effectiveness of a community mental health programme in a developing country (Fiji) is examined. The programme was remarkable in that very little expertise was available in the community for it to be carried through. The results indicate that one category of hospital in-patient will subsequently derive significant benefit, namely the patient diagnosed as having schizophrenia who has been in a mental hospital more than once.Evidence from this study confirmed observations made by others that benign acute psychotic episodes are not infrequent in this sort of setting.