Management of Schizophrenia in COVID-19 Pandemic via Telepsychiatry

Community Level Management of Mental Illness Using Telemedicine.

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a lifelong brain disorder leading to disability, poor quality of life and mortality. The risk factors of schizophrenia appear in early adolescence. Poor awareness about the symptoms, availability of treatment and potential benefits of seeking care are the important barriers. We are presenting a case of schizophrenia in a rural village of Haryana, India. The patient was taken to a health facility after few months of the onset of symptoms. After the initiation of treatment for the mental illness, she was not taken for regular follow up due to various reasons. She took medicines only for few months and then discontinued them. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the treatment gap widened which may have led to adverse events in the absence of intervention by the community physicians. We discuss the barriers, gaps in the health system and potential channels to overcome them. We highlight the potential of telepsychiatry in improving the access to care and the importance of follow-up for such patients in a rural setting.