Abstract
Introduction: People with psychosis are one of the most vulnerable groups in terms of unemployment, poverty and housing issues. The aim of this paper is to analyse the epidemiological and socio-economic situation of people with a psychotic disorder in the Czech Republic.
Method: The data was gathered from multiple sources including: the epidemiological population study of mental health disorders in the Czech Republic conducted in 2017, registers of Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic, databases of Czech Social Security Administration and a cohort study of people consuming community and inpatient psychiatric services in the Czech Republic conducted in 2015/2016. The data was analysed using descriptive and basic analytical statistical methods.
Results: More than 150,000 people in the Czech Republic suffer from psychotic symptoms, from this group less than 50,000 people are treated in an outpatient setting and more than 8,000 people are treated in an inpatient setting annually. The unemployment rate of people with psychotic disorders discharged from hospital setting exceeds 82%.
About 63% of people with psychosis who consume community services do not work for at least an hour per month (including sheltered employment). In both groups, more than 90% of people receive a disability pension, which is also the source of their highest income.
Approximately 30% of people using community services do not receive more than 8,500 CZK per month. A quarter of this population has an income higher than 12,750 CZK.
About half of the people benefiting from community services, also receive family support at the same time. On average, family members provide care for 42 hours per month.
Psychotic disorders are a notable cause of newly granted disability pensions and care allowances. Conclusion: Most of the people with psychotic disorders do not receive continuous professional care.
Those who do receive care, have severe social problems and live under the poverty level. The system of employment of people with severe mental illness contributes to this situation.
This situation is untenable and shows elements of structural discrimination.