A hybrid supported employment program for persons with schizophrenia in Japan | Knowledge Translation for Employment Research Center

Authors:	Gamble, D., & Moore, C. L.,
Year Published	2000
Publication	Psychiatric Services
Volume	51
Number	7
Pages	864-866
Publisher	Psychiatric Services
Background	Individuals with Schizophrenia remain hospitalized for extended periods of time in Japan even after their symptoms have lessened. There are few community rehabilitation programs for this group. Most return to live with families, who may not be prepared, to provide the support the individuals requires to remain in the community. Getting involved in work activities can help facilitate successful community reentry.
Purpose	This paper described an innovative hybrid program; that combined practices associated with transitional employment and supported employment models, to assist individuals with schizophrenia with employment.
Setting	The setting was a psychiatric hospital and various employment sites in Japan.
Sample	Charts were reviewed to determine social and vocational adjustment and rehospitalization rates of 52 individuals who had participated in the program and went to work. The average age of the participants at the time of the survey was 51 years. Thirty six were men and 16 were women who had been consecutively discharged between 1977 and 1990. The onset of mental illness was 23 years. All had a diagnosis of schizophrenia and on average had been hospitalized for 8.9 years prior to going to work.
Data Collection	Clinical records since the onset of illness were reviewed for each participant.
Control	There was no control or comparison conditions.
Findings	Fifty two individuals worked from three months to seventeen years. The follow up survey indicated 20 individuals were employed and living in the community, 15 lived with families and were not working and 17 were hospitalized. On average participants were hospitalized an average of 1.5 times after supported employment as compared to 3.2 beforehand. Events associated with this included: more symptoms due to not taking medication and quitting a job. The time spent out of the hospital increased from 54% before supported employment to 68% afterwards.
Conclusions	The hybrid model of vocational rehabilitation helped many patients successfully integrate in to the community. Success rates at work were excellent for a population that typically experiences poor outcomes. There appears to be cross cultural validity in this approach.
URL	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10875948
Disabilities	Emotional disturbance
Populations	Asian \| Male & Female
Outcomes	Employment acquisition \| Increase in tenure
NIDILRR Funded	No
Research Design	Observational
Peer Reviewed	No

Year Published

2000

Publication

Psychiatric Services

Volume

51

Number

7

Pages

864-866

Publisher

Psychiatric Services

Background

Individuals with Schizophrenia remain hospitalized for extended periods of time in Japan even after their symptoms have lessened. There are few community rehabilitation programs for this group. Most return to live with families, who may not be prepared, to provide the support the individuals requires to remain in the community. Getting involved in work activities can help facilitate successful community reentry.

Purpose

This paper described an innovative hybrid program; that combined practices associated with transitional employment and supported employment models, to assist individuals with schizophrenia with employment.

Setting

The setting was a psychiatric hospital and various employment sites in Japan.

Sample

Charts were reviewed to determine social and vocational adjustment and rehospitalization rates of 52 individuals who had participated in the program and went to work. The average age of the participants at the time of the survey was 51 years. Thirty six were men and 16 were women who had been consecutively discharged between 1977 and 1990. The onset of mental illness was 23 years. All had a diagnosis of schizophrenia and on average had been hospitalized for 8.9 years prior to going to work.

Data Collection

Clinical records since the onset of illness were reviewed for each participant.

Control

There was no control or comparison conditions.

Findings

Fifty two individuals worked from three months to seventeen years. The follow up survey indicated 20 individuals were employed and living in the community, 15 lived with families and were not working and 17 were hospitalized. On average participants were hospitalized an average of 1.5 times after supported employment as compared to 3.2 beforehand. Events associated with this included: more symptoms due to not taking medication and quitting a job. The time spent out of the hospital increased from 54% before supported employment to 68% afterwards.

Conclusions

The hybrid model of vocational rehabilitation helped many patients successfully integrate in to the community. Success rates at work were excellent for a population that typically experiences poor outcomes. There appears to be cross cultural validity in this approach.

URL

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10875948

Disabilities

Emotional disturbance

Populations

Asian | Male & Female

Outcomes

Employment acquisition | Increase in tenure

NIDILRR Funded

No

Research Design

Observational

Peer Reviewed

No