Outpatient vs. comprehensive first-episode psychosis services, a 5-year follow-up of Soteria Nacka.
Three years experience of an outpatient unit for first-episode psychosis showed that most of the patients at some point became hospitalized in a psychiatric ward with discontinuity in care as a consequence. Adding "need-adapted" inpatient care in the form of a small and calm crisis home guaranteed continuity in approach and treatment, as the same caregivers staffed the inpatient and outpatient parts of Soteria. Information on early signs of psychosis was given to other units of the psychiatric clinic and to general practitioners. As the organization was considerably changed from that point of time, the patients could be divided into two separate groups. The aim of the present study was to follow the patients in the two groups for 5 years, comparing the outcome. The results showed that easily accessible need-adapted treatment with integrated overnight care might be advantageous for first-episode psychotic patients. The duration of untreated psychosis was shorter and the outcome better.
Lindgren
Ingrid
I
Neuropsychiatrical Assessment Team, University department of clinical psychiatry southwest, Stockholm County Council, Liljeholmstorget 7, SE-117 61 Stockholm, Sweden. ingrid.lindgren@sll.se
Falk Hogstedt
Margareta
M
Cullberg
Johan
J
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003191:Comprehensive Health Care; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D003419:Crisis Intervention; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010343:Patient Admission; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011613:Psychotherapy; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy*; D013548:Sweden
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents