Predictors of the duration of professional activity in patients with schizophrenia

Abstract

Introduction. Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder that significantly impacts individuals’ ability to engage in productive professional activities. Understanding the factors that contribute to the duration of professional activity in patients with schizophrenia can aid in developing effective interventions and support systems in order to improve quality of patients life, inform clinical practice, and reduce economic burden. Materials and methods. The study has a cross-sectional design, and had the main purpose of identifying the key predictors of employment duration among a sample of 202 individuals with schizophrenia. Participants were divided into four subcategories based on their work experience: never worked, worked 1 to 5 years, worked 5 to 10 years, and worked more than 10 years. This study employs multinominal logistic regression to compare employment (formulated as categorical variables) and ANOVA with post hoc Bonferroni correction (formulated as continue variables), to investigate predictors of employment duration in patients with schizophrenia. Statistical significance was considered at p≤.05. Several key predictors were identified, including socio-demographic factors like relationship status and clinical characteristics such as hospitalization frequency. Results. Our results indicate that being in a stable relationship could potentially serve as a positive predictor for longer employment duration. Gender differences were noted, with women generally having longer periods of employment, possibly influenced by a later onset of schizophrenia in this gender group. Contrary to expectations, medication type did not significantly impact employment duration. Moreover, the relationship between employment and hospitalization appeared complex and not directly proportional. Conclusion. The study highlights that unemployment in this population is a modifiable state and not an inherent trait. These findings have significant implications for tailoring interventions and providing personalized support to optimize professional activity outcomes for individuals with schizophrenia.