Open AccessHIV/AIDS risks behaviour in South African Schizophrenia patients
Author(s) -
Liezl Koen,
Sandy van Vuuren,
Daiehaus,
Richard Emsley
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
west african journal of medicine
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 0189-160X
DOI - 10.4314/wajm.v26i1.28293
Subject(s) - medicine , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , population , psychiatry , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , antipsychotic , mental illness , family medicine , mental health , environmental health
Initially the risk of HIV in people with severe mental illness (SMI) was grossly underestimated, but comparisons with the general population have in fact revealed higher infection rates in this particular group. Not only are patients with SMI sexually active but it has also been demonstrated that this group and especially patients with schizophrenia are less knowledgeable about HIV risk behaviours than the general population. Currently no data concerning the participation in and knowledge of HIV/AIDS risk behaviours by South African schizophrenic patients is available.