目的：探討長期住院精神分裂病人之臨床資料與家屬面會及病人外宿頻率間的關係。 方法：以1998年12月31日在一地區精神科專科醫院已連續住院至少1年之精神分裂病人為研究對象，收集其基本資料、發病時間、住院時間、主要照顧者、1998年家屬探訪次數及以簡短精神症狀量表所獲得之病人精神狀態，做為分析及進行相關因素之探討。統計方法主要以卡方檢驗、two tailed t-test及Pearson積差相關係數等進行。 結果：在367位住院病人中，符合研究條件之個案有248位。男女病人之間的平均面會及外宿次數沒有顯著差異，照顧者是父母的比照顧者是兄弟姊妹的病人平均外宿次數較多，病人年齡、發病時間、住院時間、簡短精神症狀量表分數與平均外宿次數有負相關，而病人住院時間與平均面會次數有負相關。 結論：家屬探訪長期住院精神分裂病人的頻率與病人主要照顧者、年齡、發病時間、住院時間及簡短精神症狀量表分數有關。也就是說如果精神分裂病人主要照顧者是兄弟姊妹、年齡愈長、發病時間愈長、住院時間愈長及精神狀態不穩定均有可能降低家屬與病人之互動頻率。

　　　　　Objective: To determine the factors which affect the frequency of hospital visits and temporary home stay in chronically hospitalized schizophrenic patients. Methods: Schizophrenic patients who by the end of 1998 had been continuously hospitalized for at least one year at a local mental hospital were recruited for participation in the study. The determination of factors related to frequency of hospital visits and home stay were based on the patients' general data, the duration of illness, length of stay, type of caregivers, the mental state diagnosed by BPRS scores and the frequency of hospital visits and temporary home stay during 1998. The main statistical methods used were chi-square test, two tailed t-test and Pearson product-moment correlation. Results: A total of 248 out of 367 chronically hospitalized schizophrenic patients treated during the study period met the inclusion criteria. The average frequency of hospital visits and of temporary home stay was not significantly different between male and female patients. Patients whose caregivers were parents had more frequent home stay than those whose caregivers were siblings. A negative correlation was found between patients' age and the duration of illness, the length of stay, the BPRS scores and the frequency of home stay. A negative correlation was also found between the length of stay and frequency of hospital visits. Conclusion: The frequency of hospital visits and home stay in chronically hospitalized schizophrenic patients was significantly associated with patients' age, type of caregivers, duration of illness, length of stay and BPRS scores. The results of the study indicate that the frequency of contact between the family and patients may decrease caregivers of schizophrenic patients are their siblings, if the age of the patient is older, if the duration of illness and hospitalization is longer, or if the patients' mental state is unstable.