Substance abuse and the risk of readmission of people with schizophrenia at Amanuel Psychiatric Hospital, Ethiopia.

Frequent readmissions of people with schizophrenia pose considerable pressure on the psychiatric service provision of Amanuel Psychiatric Hospital. The purpose of the study was to ascertain factors mainly contributing to the rate of readmissions of people with schizophrenia. Descriptive survey methods and qualitative focus group interviews were employed to conduct the study. Random sampling techniques were used to select 43 respondents of people with schizophrenia from 231 people with schizophrenia who were readmitted for two or more times in the last two years and who gained access during the time of the study. Structured interviews were used for respondents of people with schizophrenia. Fourteen (N=14) family members/caregivers were selected using purposive sampling methods for focus group discussions. Quantitative data was analyzed using the SPSS Version 11.00 program and the qualitative data was analyzed by generating themes and categories. The results suggest that alcohol and khat abuse were contributing factors for the rate of readmissions of people with schizophrenia into the Amanuel Psychiatric Hospital. It was found that communities contribute to the problems of substance abuse by providing and/or selling it to those mentally ill people. The study also revealed that patients use alcohol and khat in order to tolerate the severe side effects of the anti-psychotic drugs, to suppress hunger due to shortage of food and to avoid drowsiness. Raising community awareness, psycho-education, strengthening the capacities of caretakers and laws to prevent substance abuse, as well as campaigning to prevent people from abusing mentally ill sufferers, should be established.