title: [Early intervention in an early psychosis outpatient clinic].
abstract: The importance of early detection and intervention for psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, is beginning to attract attention based on the results of imaging and psychosocial studies. Unfortunately, Japan still lags markedly behind Western countries and Australia in respect of early detection and intervention. We conducted a collaborative questionnaire survey of mental health among junior and senior high school students, and found that education on psychiatric disorders is not provided in schools and that the detection of these disorders is delayed due to the lack of awareness and accurate information. Early detection and treatment of psychiatric disorders takes more time than regular outpatient care, and an early psychosis outpatient clinic was established at our institution as a special outpatient clinic. The early psychosis outpatient clinic managed by me cannot be involved in visiting schools to carry out educational activities due to manpower problems and other reasons. However, through individual cases, I am aware that cooperation with schools is as important as cooperation with patients' families, not only to treat psychiatric symptoms, but also to check whether students are viewed with discomfort by classmates due to adverse effects of treatment, such as extrapyramidal symptoms. My aim is to improve the mental health of as many children as possible through future activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University.
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimodera
authors.forename: Shimpei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Yosuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suga
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ichiki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003625:Data Collection; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000639:trends; D012574:Schools