Benefits of Work Over Psychiatric Disability

Empirical evidence base suggests that schizophrenia is a chronic disabling mental disorder characterized by disorder of thought and perception. It progressively induces psychosocial disabilities including cognitive decline, poor interpersonal relationships, social networks and unemployment leading to social exclusion of affected individuals and families. Their disability experiences, social support systems, psychosocial and physical needs including sustenance are largely understudied. Situating in this knowledge gap, this book offer a comprehensive analysis of primary data on disability experience, needs and social support among employed and unemployed persons with schizophrenia. This book identifies the critical factors such as stigma associated to mental illness, nature and severity of symptoms, gender, psychiatric disability, and side effects of medicines, substantially contributing to the unemployment of persons with schizophrenia. Further, side effects of medicines, unmet social needs and inadequate social support were the significant predictors of disability experience.