personality | Acta Medica Marisiensis

Clinical Evolution of Patients with Schizophrenia Associated with Addictive Disorders

Andreea Salcudean¹, Melinda Ferencz², Daniela Sabau², Madalina Gherman³

1. Department of Medical Ethics and Socio-Human Sciences, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
2. Psychiatry Clinic 1, Mureș Clinical County Hospital, Targu Mures, Romania
3. Targu Mures Emergency County Hospital, Targu Mures, Romania

DOI: 10.2478/amma-2020-0033

Introduction: The prevalence of schizophrenia in the general population is about 0.3% -0.7% Pathological use of substances such as cocaine, alcohol, amphetamines and nicotine are common in schizophrenia with a lifetime prevalence of 80%. They tend to isolate themselves in an inner world, thus being prone to substance abuse. The most commonly used substances are: alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, amphetamines, hallucinogens and cannabis.
Method: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive-analytical study on a group of 139 patients with a positive diagnosis of schizophrenia from the Psychiatry Clinic I of the Mureș County Clinical Hospital hospitalized between 01.01.2018-31.12.2019. The clinical and paraclinical data used were processed from observation sheets in the clinic archive. These were introduced and analyzed in the Microsoft Excel 2016 program, and the statistical test used was Chi Square in the Graph-Pad statistical analysis program.
Results: Most patients with schizophrenia have a schizoid (41%) and paranoid (32%) personality. Other types are: organic 25% (unstable and impulsive) and obsessive anxiety 2%. Due to the evolution of diseases, patients end up consuming psychoactive substances, tobacco and alcohol. A percentage of 48% of patients were tobacco consumers, 37% were alcohol consumers and 15% consumed psychoactive substances. Tobacco use is not a statistically significant factor in the recurrence of the disease.
Conclusions: Alcohol, tobacco and psychoactive substances are an important risk factor in the unfavorable evolution of the disease, most hospitalized patients are in the age group 50-59 years.

Objective: The research assumes that there is a correlation between personality dimensions Extraversion and Conscientiousness which mean autonomy, ambition and consistency of purpose, self-efficacy and determination for young people who want to aspire to a medical career.
Methods: In this study’s target group were included 130 students aspiring to a medical career, that participated in the summer school organized by UMF Tirgu-Mures in 2016, of which 25 (19%) male and 106 (81%) female, average overall age group being 17.23.
Results: Within the female group, the Pearson cross-correlation coefficient of Openness and Conscientiousness is r. Pearson (105) = – .20, p <0.05. The Pearson coefficient of cross-correlation between Extraversion and Conscientiousness is = – .20, p <0.05. The Pearson coefficient of cross-correlation between emotional stability and conscientiousness is r. Pearson (105) = .36, p <.001. In the male group, the Pearson cross-correlation coefficient between the Extraversion and Conscientiousness personality dimensions is r. Pearson (N = 25) = -.39 where p <0.05.
Conclusions: The Extraversion dimension of personality is a dynamic factor and motivator only when it is correlated with the Conscientiousness personality dimension. This indicates dynamism and autonomy, persistence in achieving goals, ambition, high motivation, interpersonal social intelligence and emotional stability, resulting a personality profile that matches one of the aspirants to a medical career.