OBJECTIVE: Symptomatic remission have substantial effects in long-term schizophrenia outcome, but exact determinants of the employment. In this study, the relationship between employment and symptomatic remission in chronic schizophrenia patients and other factors related to employment were investigated.METHODS: 100 patients interviewed were evaluated by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Functional Recovery Scale in Schizophrenia (FROGS), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), Quality of Life Scale (QoL) and Subjective Recovery Assessment Scale (SubRAS). Sociodemographic variables, clinical features, antipsychotic dose and past working history obtained from patient interviews were investigated.RESULTS: The patients of 40% who participate in the study were symptomatic remission, but only 53.5% of these patients weren’t employed. Young age, especially, -regardless of the onset of illness- working a job in the past, low and moderate use CPED (equivalent doses according to chlorpromazine), shorter disease duration, symptomatic remission was found to be closely related to employment. While QoL, FROGS, GAF, and SubRAS total scores of employment group were higher than the unemployment group, PANSS total scores in the unemployment group were higher than that of the employment group. There was a high correlation between the scales and employment status.CONCLUSION: Employment status was closely related with the remission status. This study supports that symptomatic remission alone is not decisive for employment. It was found that younger age, past working history (before or after the disease), low and intermediate CPED antipsychotic use and shorter duration of disease were closely related to employment with symptomatic remission.
Employment ; Humans ; Quality of Life ; Schizophrenia ; Unemployment ; Weights and Measures

Objective: In recent years, many Syrian asylum seekers has died while they were crossing over sea to migrate to Europe. We aimed to identify the determinants of choice of Syrian asylum seekers for emigration to Europe; therefore, we selected the sample from refugee mental health clinic in Turkey. Methods: Our sample consists of 100 Syrian who applied to the refugee mental health branch polyclinic. Participants filled out the (e1) sociodemographic form, WHO-5 well-being index, and WHOQL. Then their future plans assessed by the interviewer. Results: It was seen that people who prefer to emigrate to Europe have higher level education level, lower income status, and had worse physical conditions at home. Also, They live generally in urban area, they do not have close relatives living in Syria, have poor mental well-being and have low quality of life scores. Job duration, absence of close relatives living in Syria, having low WHOOL score and physical conditions of home were found significant in regression analysis. Conclusion We found that their economic circumstances significantly predicted their preference, unlike clinical variables. We believe in that, improving their economic conditions and the life quality of Syrian asylum seekers can prevent illegal migration by dangerous routes to Europe and policy makers over the world should consider this situation.