Aim: To investigate the opinion and outcome when Chinese-Australian psychiatric patients used community mental health services, and to explore the application foreground of these services in China. Methods: A random sample of 123 Chinese patients with schizophrenia from two major community mental health services, two psychiatric hospitals and several private clinics of Chinese psychiatrists in Sydney were identified. All of them were employing only one type of services during this research. All participants completed a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire to explore their view to the services and the perceived outcome when they employed the services. However, it was subsequently decided to supplement the data collection strategy with in-depth face-to-face interviews or individual telephone interviews to increase the validity of findings. Client function and their symptom severity were measured by using the life skills profile (LSP) and the brief psychiatric rating scale (BPRS) respectively on initial referral and at six monthly intervals thereafter. Results: The majority of the subjects had high approval of Australian psychiatric services, especially community mental health services. They thought that their mental health conditions were improved when they employed the services. The clients who used community mental health services had the general and sub-scale scores of LSP improved and the general and sub-scale scores of BPRS decreased significantly (initial LSP general score median (md) of LSP and BPRS were 76.5 and 48 respectively, after six months md = 113.5 and 33 respectively, Sgn Rank = -27.5 and 18, P < 0.01 and < 0.05). The clients who used diversiform outpatient department services had the general and sub-scale scores of LSP improved (initial md = 78.5, after six months md = 108, Sgn Rank = -18, P < 0.01) and psychotic index score of BPRS decreased (initial md = 3.63, after six months md = 3.23, Sgn Rank = 14.5, P < 0.05). The clients who used inpatient department services only had no significant changes in the two scales. Conclusion: The majority of Chinese migrants highly appraised the Australian community mental health services. The objective evaluation of the service showed that it had good effects to the clients as well. There is much in Australian community mental health services that we can make use of Comprehensive, integrated and high quality community mental health services should be developed in China, in Chinese way.

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information processing rating scale Chinese mental health service clinical research Australia schizophrenia randomization human validation process controlled study ethnology interview Treatment Outcome male female outcomes research questionnaire patient satisfaction scoring system Article health care utilization major clinical study adult migration health care quality disease severity health care delivery