Psychoeducation for Schizophrenia in the Czech Republic: Curriculum Modification Based on Opinions of Service Users and Providers
Abstract
The authors examined current knowledge about psychoeducation for schizophrenia in Czech Republic. Methods The authors sent a screening survey to 550 mental health-care facilities and administered a detailed questionnaire to 113 providers of mental health and social services and to 200 service users.
The authors also carried out 14 focus groups and 16 individual interviews. Results Forty-six departments provided some type of psychoeducation for schizophrenia; of these, 16 provided family psychoeducation for patients and relatives and 1 provided psychoeducation only for relatives.
Service users who received psychoeducation performed significantly better in the test of knowledge than did service users who did not receive psychoeducation. Conclusion The authors propose a service user-driven curriculum based on information delivery followed by skills training.
Psychiatrists should learn to explain schizophrenia relapse neurobiology to laypeople and to address relatives' frustrations.