Pathways to Care and Patterns of Care in First Episode Psychosis Patients Treated in Community Based-mental Health Services. A 5-Years Follow-up from the PICOS

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S160-S160
Author(s):  
E. Miglietta ◽  
A. Lasalvia ◽  
C. Comacchio ◽  
D. Cristofalo ◽  
C. Bonetto ◽  
...  

IntroductionInternational treatment guidelines recommend that key elements to reduce the burden of psychosis are the early identification of people and the adoption of specific evidence based interventions.ObjectivesTo investigate the pathway to care and patterns of interventions provided by community based-mental health services (CMHS) to a cohort of first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients over 5-years period, exploring in which degree guidelines are met in routine clinical practice.MethodsStudy conducted in the context of the Psychosis Incident Cohort Outcome Study (PICOS), a multisite naturalistic research conducted in the Veneto Region (Italy) on FEP patients in a 4.6 million inhabitants catchment area. A comprehensive set of standardized measures was used, including ad hoc schedules to collect information on referrals to psychiatric services and on pharmacological and psycho-social treatments according to a multiwave follow-up design (1-, 2- and 5 years).ResultsThree hundred and ninety-seven FEP patients were assessed at BL, 286 at 1 year, 233 at 2 years and 205 at 5 years. 47.4% of patients were helped to seek care by a relative and more than one half entered the treatment route through an emergency access. Regarding the interventions received, 96% of patients had been prescribed neuroleptics and atypical were the most prescribed class (66.9%). Only half received a psychosocial intervention during the first year and this percentage progressively decreased at each FU.DiscussionFindings highlight discrepancies between interventions provided by CMHS and the best treatment options recommended by guidelines, suggesting the need to implement specific initiatives aiming to close the gap between research and clinical practice.

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S112-S112
Author(s):  
Adam Whyte ◽  
Alastair Reid

AimsCOVID-19 has a demonstratable impact on the population's mental health and is associated with an increased incidence of psychiatric disorders, including patients experiencing psychotic presentations. The aim of this study was to explore whether referral rates within a county-wide Early Intervention (EI) service changed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The EI service provides NICE approved treatments and support for patients experiencing a First Episode Psychosis (FEP).MethodData were collected from all referrals to the EI service between March–December 2019 and March–December 2020. Clinical notes were reviewed to ascertain whether the referred patient was assessed and if they were subsequently accepted on to the team's caseload.ResultDuring the March–December 2019 period 147 referrals were made to the EI service, with 66 patients being accepted for treatment by the service (44.9% of referrals). In March–December 2020, 127 referrals were made, a 13.6% reduction compared to the same period in 2019, however 70 referrals were accepted (55.1% of referrals).Whilst the overall referrals declined during the COVID-19 period, there were notable increases in both April and August 2020, by 25.0% and 70.0% respectively.ConclusionAlthough overall referrals to the EI service reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic compared similarly to the previous year, there was a noteworthy increase in the proportion of patients accepted onto the team's caseload.Potential explanations for this finding include the possibility of an increased incidence of first episode psychosis during this period, or that restrictions in accessing primary care and secondary mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the number of patients being referred whose symptoms were not representative of First Episode Psychosis (FEP).This study highlights that mental health services, such as EI teams, have experienced a persistent level of need over the past year and that ongoing investment in psychiatric services is warranted to meet this sustained requirement for support and interventions.


2007 ◽  
Vol 191 (S51) ◽  
pp. s133-s139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paddy Power ◽  
Eduardo Iacoponi ◽  
Nicola Reynolds ◽  
Helen Fisher ◽  
Morris Russell ◽  
...  

BackgroundThere are few evaluations of strategies to improve rates of early detection and treatment of patients with first-episode psychosisAimsTo evaluate the effectiveness of a general practitioner (GP) education programme and an early detection assessment team (the Lambeth Early Onset Crisis Assessment Team; LEO CAT) in reducing delays in accessing treatment for first-episode psychosis patients.Method46 clusters of GP practices randomised to GP education in early detection with direct access to LEO CATv. care as usual. Primary outcome measures were GP referral rates, duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and delays in receiving treatment. Results 150 patients with first-episode psychosis were recruited; 113 were registered with the study GPs, who referred 54 (47.7%) directly to mental health services. Significantly more intervention group GPs (86.1% v. 65.7%) referred their patients directly to mental health services and fewer patients experienced long delays in receiving treatment. However, their overall DUP was unaffectedConclusionsEducating GPs improves detection and referral rates of first-episode psychosis patients. An early detection team reduces the long delays in initial assessment and treatment. However, these only impact on the later phases of the DUP. Broader measures, such as public health education, are needed to reduce the earlier delays in DUP.


Author(s):  
Ilaria Tarricone ◽  
Giuseppe D’Andrea ◽  
Viviana Storbini ◽  
Mauro Braca ◽  
Silvia Ferrari ◽  
...  

AbstractBackground: Migrants present high rates of psychosis. A better understanding of this phenomenon is needed. Methods: We conducted a multicentre First-Episode Psychosis (FEP) prospective study over two years (January 2012–December 2013) to evaluate first-generation migrants presenting with FEP at the participating Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs). Results: 109 FEP migrants were identified. Almost half of them were highly educated, employed and in a stable affective relationship. The average age was 32.8 (± 9.8) years, and the average length of stay in Italy was 8.6 (± 8.8) years. About 2/3 of patients were referred to CMHCs following Emergency Department access or psychiatric admission. Conclusions: Our finding of a “high functioning portrait” of FEP migrants allow us to hypothesize that a high burden of negative psychosocial factors is likely to be needed for the FEP onset. Furtherly, mental health services should implement more appropriate resources and organizational methods to respond to migrants’ health needs.


2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilaria Tarricone ◽  
Mauro Braca ◽  
Fabio Allegri ◽  
Giuseppe Barrasso ◽  
Antonello Bellomo ◽  
...  

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. e028929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neha Ramu ◽  
Anna Kolliakou ◽  
Jyoti Sanyal ◽  
Rashmi Patel ◽  
Robert Stewart

ObjectivesTo investigate recorded poor insight in relation to mental health and service use outcomes in a cohort with first-episode psychosis.DesignWe developed a natural language processing algorithm to ascertain statements of poor or diminished insight and tested this in a cohort of patients with first-episode psychosis.SettingThe clinical record text at the South London and Maudsley National Health Service Trust in the UK was used.ParticipantsWe applied the algorithm to characterise a cohort of 2026 patients with first-episode psychosis attending an early intervention service.Primary and secondary outcome measuresRecorded poor insight within 1 month of registration was investigated in relation to (1) incidence of psychiatric hospitalisation, (2) odds of legally enforced hospitalisation, (3) number of days spent as a mental health inpatient and (4) number of different antipsychotic agents prescribed; outcomes were measured over varying follow-up periods from 12 months to 60 months, adjusting for a range of sociodemographic and clinical covariates.ResultsRecorded poor insight, present in 46% of the sample, was positively associated with ages 16-35, bipolar disorder and history of cannabis use and negatively associated with White ethnicity and depression. It was significantly associated with higher levels of all four outcomes over all five follow-up periods.ConclusionsRecorded poor insight in people with recent onset psychosis predicted subsequent legally enforced hospitalisations and higher number of hospital admissions, number of unique antipsychotics prescribed and days spent hospitalised. Improving insight might benefit patients’ course of illness as well as reduce mental health service use.


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