Impressions of psychiatric problems and their management: China, 1977

Abstract

The authors, who visited the People's Republic of China in October 1977, describe the treatment methods used there, particularly in the Shanghai Mental Hospital, a 1,000-bed hospital for acutely ill patients. Psychiatric treatment there appears to be a blend of Western pharmacology, traditional Chinese medicine, and group therapy. The authors also speculate on the possible cultural sources of stress-related and interpersonal problems, provide a review of the literature regarding psychiatry in modern China, and outline the history of psychiatric treatment there.