Physical illness and lifestyle risk factors in people with their first presentation of psychosis.
BACKGROUND
There is an increased prevalence of physical illness and poor lifestyle in patients with chronic schizophrenia. It is unclear whether these are present at the onset of psychosis or develop over the course of illness. We aimed to establish whether patients experiencing their first episode of psychosis have worse physical health and lifestyle than community controls without psychosis.


METHODS
Eighty-nine patients with new onset illness were compared to age and sex matched controls for self-reported physical illness and cardiovascular and respiratory risk factors.


RESULTS
Patients reported more physical health complaints, mainly respiratory, compared with age and gender matched controls (odds ratio 2.85, 95% confidence interval 1.2-6.7). Patients were more likely to be cigarette smokers (1.82, 95% CI 1.0-3.3) and eat a fast food diet (1.04, 95% CI 1.0-1.1), but these differences were accounted for by patients' unemployment status.


CONCLUSIONS
Some risk factors for physical health problems are present at the onset of psychosis, but these may be explained by unemployment.
Samele
Chiara
C
Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, 34-138 Borough High Street, London, SE1 1LB, UK. chiara.samele@scmh.org.uk
Patel
Maxine
M
Boydell
Jane
J
Leese
Morven
M
Wessely
Simon
S
Murray
Robin
R
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness; D015995:Prevalence; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology