Affiliations: INSERM U 657, Bordeaux, France | University Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux,
France | Commission des Droits et de l'Autonomie des Personnes
Handicapées, Maison Départementale des Personnes Handicapées,
Bordeaux, France
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Prof. Hélène Verdoux,
Hôpital Charles Perrens, 121 rue de la Béchade, 33076 Bordeaux Cedex,
France. Tel.: +33 556 56 17 32; Fax: +33 556 56 35 46; E-mail:
helene.verdoux@u-bordeaux2.fr
Abstract: The aim was to explore the demographic and clinical characteristics
influencing the duration of employment after onset of schizophrenia.
Occupational history was assessed in persons with schizophrenia (n=102) requesting the status of disabled person for the first time.
Multivariate analyses were used to explore the characteristics independently
associated with duration of work after the first contact with psychiatric
services. Duration of employment was categorized into "never worked",
"worked less than half of the time", "worked half of the time or more".
More than half of patients never worked after the first contact with
psychiatric services. Compared to them, persons who were employed half of the
time or more were more likely to have a higher educational level and a long
duration of employment before illness onset. Persons who were employed less
than half of the time presented with clinical markers of poor prognosis, i.e.
higher frequency of alcohol use disorder and higher number of hospitalisations.
Persons unable to keep enduring employment after illness onset may have
different needs regarding social and rehabilitation management compared to
those able to maintain a working activity over a long period.
