Objective: This study is on employment on the competitive as well as the sheltered work market of psychiatric in-patients suffering from schizophrenia or affective disorders. Furthermore it investigates the importance of characteristics of disorder and of educational and vocational background as predictors of occupation.
Methods: A sample of 251 in-patients participated in a structured interview during their hospitalization.
Results: 43 % of in-patients suffering from schizophrenia and 46 % suffering from affective disorders were employed on the competitive work market during the year before index-hospitalization. Many were without any occupation too because sheltered employment was rarely used and mostly by schizophrenics (17 % vs 4 % of persons with affective disorders). Predictors of employment are past vocational experiences, education, length of past hospitalization, psychiatric diagnosis and sex.
Conclusions: Results raise the question of deficits in providing with sheltered employment opportunities for the mentally ill and in particular for people suffering from affective disorders. Alternatives to these deficits are discussed.