Living Context of Person with Schizophrenia in a Community: An Ethnography

Abstract

          This ethnographic qualitative research aimed to investigate schizophrenic person’s living context in a local community, Amphoe  Muang of  Maha Sarakham Province. Semi-structured interviews, participant observation, tape recording and field work were conducted with the 8 schizophrenia, aged 34-72 years at the participant’s or relative’s  home.

          The results showed that through ethnographic descriptions, three characteristics of the participants’ living context were revealed: 1) they work for living, 2) the family and community did not abandon one another, and 3) the family and community can rely on participants for labor.

          These results will be useful for caring schizophrenic persons according to the needs and the rural way of life of each client.