People with mental illness living with high level of disability

Seventy-five percent of people with schizophrenia live with "high level of disability", a new study said Wednesday.

The study by the Cosmos Institute of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences (CIMBS), released here, said: "Around 56 percent of caretakers indicated a burden of personal care and 63 percent of the caretakers indicated a burden of financial care."

The survey was conducted over telephone, in which over 100 families were contacted and invited to participate anonymously.

"The findings of the survey underline the need to encourage early treatment, rehabilitation and to address the long-term care needs of persons living with schizophrenia and other severe mental disorders," Sunil Mittal, senior psychiatrist with the CIMBS, said.

Sadiya Afzal Khan, associate psychiatric social worker at CIMBS, said: "Psycho-social rehabilitation for people with chronic psychiatric illness helps them to re-learn and re-gain lost skills that are required for a smooth functioning in their daily routines".