Status of first-episode psychosis patients presenting for routine care in a defined catchment area.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the clinical and behavioural status of all first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients admitted to hospital within a defined catchment area.


METHODS
We used a structured format to review clinical records of all first admissions to hospitals from a catchment area (population 390 000) with diagnosis of a first episode of nonaffective psychosis over a 3-year period.


RESULTS
Patients were somewhat older than usually reported for FEP (mean age 31.3 years). They were mostly male (63.7%), single (80.8%), unemployed (87.4%), with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum psychoses (85%), and had spent a mean of 31 days in an open inpatient unit and 2.93 days in an intensive care psychiatric unit during their first admission. Most (60.3%) were admitted involuntarily; 34.2% had a history of legal involvement; 18.8% had attempted suicide prior to admission; 31.5% had demonstrated violence toward people, property, or animals; 14.4% had suffered injuries; and 15.9% had shown aggressive behaviour during the hospital admission.


CONCLUSIONS
These results identify some of the potential needs of FEP patients, toward whom early intervention services should be directed.
Payne
Jennifer
J
Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC.
Malla
Ashok
A
Norman
Ross
R
Windell
Deborah
D
Nicole
Brown
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002391:Catchment Area, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009864:Ontario; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data