Abstract summary 

Schizophrenia is one of the most troublesome psychiatric problems requiring long-term antipsychotic treatments. There is a scarcity of data regarding its overtime trend in Ethiopia.To explore the 5-year trend of schizophrenia at Hiwot Fana Specialized University Referral Hospital, Eastern Ethiopia.A hospital-based retrospective record review was conducted at Hiwot Fana Specialized University Referral Hospital, Eastern Ethiopia. Data were obtained from medical records of all registered psychiatric patients in the psychiatric follow-up clinic over 5 years from 2016 to 2020. An Extended Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test for the linear trend was used to examine the trend over the 5-year period.Over the 5-year period stated (2016-2020), a total of 29,184 psychiatric patients were registered at the Hospital from which 18,598 (63.73 % (95% confidence interval: 0.63-0.64) were schizophrenia confirmed cases. Of the 18,598 patients, 15,362 (82.60%) were males and 7,625 (41%) were in 25-34 years of age category. It was revealed that the trend of newly diagnosed patients with schizophrenia increased from (0.44 (95% CI (0.39-0.47) in 2016 to 0.47(95% confidence interval: (0.44-0.49) in 2020 (χ = 3.87; p = 0.049). Those chewing Khat were disproportionately affected accounting for about half of the schizophrenia total cases reported.The magnitude of patients with schizophrenia being treated at the hospital increased over the 5 years studied. Tailored preventive and treatment interventions are needed to mitigate the problem. Community and institution-based customized interventions can be designed using the existing health system platforms.

Authors & Co-authors:  Mohammed Fethia F Geda Biftu B Assebe Yadeta Tesfaye T Dessie Yadeta Y

Study Outcome 

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