A Scale of Disability and Prognosis in Long-Term Mental Illness
R. MORGAN M.B., M.R.C.Psych.1 and
J. CHEADLE R.M.N.2
1 Director of Rehabilitation, St. Wulstan's Hospital, Malvern, Worcestershire
2 Research Assistant, St. Wulstan's Hospital, Malvern, Worcestershire
One hundred and eighty-four long-stay mentally ill patients have been studied over the ten years 1961-70, during which they were exposed to an active rehabilitation regime. The total net cost to the State of maintaining each individual during this period has been taken as an index of individual performance under this regime and subsequently. All relevant nosological data that were available about each patient at the start of the rehabilitation process have been tested for their value as predictors of the long-term outcome. The best prediction was furnished by three items, Wing Group, Social Withdrawal Score and Work Performance Score. The three items have been put together into a scale, and the kind of information this yields has been specified. The scale may prove useful for various purposes, such as making prognoses, quantifying and communicating degrees of disability, predicting the case-load on scarce and expensive rehabilitation facilities, and making the best use of these by improving the accuracy with which appropriate patients are selected for them.
Submitted on November 28, 1973
