More than 7.8 million Chinese people suffer from schizophrenia
and 30 percent of them refuse to take drugs regularly, according to
the country's first survey of mental illness.
The survey, released on Sunday, was carried out by the Chinese
Medical Association (CMA) in association with Xi'an Janssen
Pharmaceutical Ltd, a drug company.
Given the fierce competition in Chinese society and the
pressures of daily life, the number of mental health patients is on
the rise, said Zhou Dongfeng, a CMA professor.
"Schizophrenia poses a huge burden on society," said Zhou.
"Patients' uncooperative attitudes towards drug-taking increase the
chances of a relapse."
According to schizophrenia patients themselves and their family
members, about 30 percent of the patients have poor drug compliance
-- cutting doses without doctors' agreement or stopping altogether,
the survey found, while doctors put the percentage at over 40.
The side effects associated with various psychiatric drugs are
probably a factor in these figures.
Thirty-eight percent of patients who do not comply with medical
prescriptions say they fear side effects while another 20 percent
find taking drugs too troublesome.
(Xinhua News Agency June 19, 2007)