Deinstitutionalization of people with schizophrenia increases the importance of evaluating their needs. This study set out to identify the most common needs of people with schizophrenia who live in the community, analyze how those needs differ when evaluated by staff or by patients, describe the kind of help patients receive, and find out the variables that correlate with having unmet needs. A random sample of 231 outpatients with schizophrenia were evaluated with the Camberwell Assessment of Need and other predictor and outcome variables. Staff detected more needs than patients did. Mean number of needs as rated by patients was 5.36 and staff 6.6 (p < 0.001). Mean number of unmet needs was also greater when assessed by staff than by patients: 1.38 versus 1.82 (p < 0.001). The most frequently detected needs by patients involved psychotic symptoms, house upkeep, food, and information. Staff most often detected needs involving psychotic symptoms, company, daytime activities, house upkeep, food, and information. In a multiple regression model, needs were weakly associated with the clinical variables and quality of life. Needs assessment is complementary to clinical evaluation in schizophrenia.

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Gender had a significant influence on social functioning in schizophrenia, even after adjusting for the other independent variables.

This study examined gender differences in the short-term (2 years) course of schizophrenia in a sample of 200 schizophrenic (DSM-IV criteria) outpatients (74 women and 126 men). Number and length of hospitalizations during the prospective follow-up were recorded. After 2 years, men were found to have more hospitalizations and longer stays than women. Among subjects who had at least one hospitalization (12 women and 38 men), men had greater length of hospitalization. In conclusion, schizophrenic women had a significantly better short-term outcome.

BackgroundAtelectasis is a common finding in mechanically ventilated children with healthy lungs. This lung collapse cannot be overcome using standard levels of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and thus for only individualized lung recruitment maneuvers lead to satisfactory therapeutic results. In this short communication, we demonstrate by lung ultrasound images (LUS) the effect of a postural recruitment maneuver (P-RM, i.e., a ventilatory strategy aimed at reaerating atelectasis by changing body position under constant ventilation).ResultsData was collected in the operating room of the Hospital Privado de Comunidad, Mar del Plata, Argentina. Three anesthetized children undergoing mechanical ventilation at constant settings were sequentially subjected to the following two maneuvers: (1) PEEP trial in the supine position PEEP was increased to 10 cmH2O for 3 min and then decreased to back to baseline. (2) P-RM patient position was changed from supine to the left and then to the right lateral position for 90 s each before returning to supine. The total P-RM procedure took approximately 3 min. LUS in the supine position showed similar atelectasis before and after the PEEP trial. Contrarily, atelectasis disappeared in the non-dependent lung when patients were placed in the lateral positions. Both lungs remained atelectasis free even after returning to the supine position.ConclusionsWe provide LUS images that illustrate the concept and effects of postural recruitment in children. This maneuver has the advantage of achieving recruitment effects without the need to elevate airways pressures.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13089-017-0073-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.