Community Living Conditions of People Living with Schizophrenia in Japan: Focusing on the Background of the Continuance of Community Life

摘要

Objective: To understand the conditions and the background to the continuation of people living with schizophrenia in regional towns and cities in Japan and get suggestions for ensuring support for retaining people living with schizophrenia in the community.Methods: The study design employed a quantitative descriptive method. Nine people living with schizophrenia were sampled. They were active in the community and used day-care services. To collect data, participant-observer study and an interview were conducted. For analysis, data collected from the participant-observer study were recorded in a field note, and an interview was compiled in a verbatim record, from which sections that are indicative of the actual state of community life were extracted.Results: People living with schizophrenia who use day-care services were found to continue living in community while receiving support from mental hospital specialists and family living together in managing medical conditions and daily living. Further, they interacted with day-care members daily by sharing meals and going shopping. Meanwhile, they sought support from separated family only when they were in trouble and exchanged greetings just to be sociable with residents.Conclusion: In Japan where community-based integrated care systems for mentally challenged people are not put in place, many people living with schizophrenia continued living in the community after being discharged from a hospital, while receiving support from mental hospital specialists and family living together in managing medical conditions and daily living. Further, by having strong ties with day-care members, they mutually supported to continue with community life. For people living with schizophrenia to continue living in the community, there is a need to improve the management of medical conditions and provide living support by establishing an integrated support system in health, medical care, and welfare and to ensure support for interacting and acquiring roles in the community by creating multilevel communities.