Functional Recovery of Consumers Discharged from Mental Hospital and Participating in a Community-based Psychosocial Programme Provided by a Non-governmental Organisation

Objective: To explore the 1-year functional recovery rate and identify factors predicting functional recovery of consumers in the Hong Kong context. 

Methods: By adopting a prospective longitudinal follow-up research design, a cohort of Chinese people discharged from the mental hospital and participating in a community-based psychosocial programme provided by a non-governmental organisation were followed up for 1 year. These individuals were assessed on their social functioning, psychiatric symptoms, self-efficacy, and quality of life using standardised assessment scales at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months of follow-up.

Results: Of 87 participants, about one quarter (23.0%, n = 20) achieved functional recovery and about three quarters (79.3%, n = 69) achieved symptom remission at 12 months of follow-up. Also, the group showing functional recovery achieved better quality of life than those not showing recovery. Logistic regression analysis indicated that current functioning, current psychiatric symptoms, and achieving open employment at 12 months were significant predictors of functional recovery. These 3 predicting factors altogether accounted for half (54.4%) of the variance of functional recovery. 

Conclusions: It is more difficult to achieve functional recovery than symptom remission for consumers. Helping consumers to improve social skills, achieve open employment, and reduce psychiatric symptoms is recommended as important elements in facilitating functional recovery in the local context.

目的：探讨香港精神康复者的1年功能恢复率，并确定他们功能恢复的预测因子。

方法：采用前瞻性纵向随访研究设计，对由精神病院出院并参加由非政府组织提供的以社区为本的心理社会项目的华籍人士队列随访1年。研究以标準化评估量表评估患者於基线、随访6个月和12个月的社会功能、精神症状、自我效能和生活质量。

结果：87名参与者中，约四分之一（即23.0%，n = 20）於12个月随访期後达致功能恢复，而大约四分之叁（即79.3%，n = 69）於12个月随访期後达致症状缓解。达到功能恢复的组别其生活质量也较佳。迴归分析显示他们当前的功能情况、当前精神症状，以及12个月後能维持公开就业是功能恢复的显著预测因子；而这些预测因子占功能恢复方差约一半（54.4%）。

结论：精神康复者的功能恢复较症状缓解困难。帮助精神康复者提高社交能力、达致公开就业以及减少精神症状是促进功能恢复的重要因素。