Improving outcome in schizophrenia: the case for early intervention.
Year: 1999
Type: article
Abstract: The long-term course of schizophrenia, one of the world’s most seriouspublic health problems,1 is generally regarded as one of chronicity anddisability.2–8 Despite the availability of treatment, more than 50 % of pa-tients continue to exhibit moderate levels of “positive symptoms ” such as delu-sions, hallucinations, and disorganized thinking and behaviour, and “negative symptoms ” such as poverty of thought, volition and affect, and social and inter-personal withdrawal, and require long-term support and periodic admission to hospital.9,10 It is therefore important to find ways to improve long-term outcome. We reviewed the literature to examine the impact of strategies to improve long-term outcome, the factors that influence outcome and the evidence supporting early intervention as a means to improve outcome. The difficulties inherent in defining outcome are well documented. For this review, we used the description of Hegarty and colleagues,11 who stated that “pa-tients considered improved in follow-up have been described as recovered, in re-mission, without symptoms, minimally or mildly symptomatic, improved without significant deficit, socially recovered, working or living independently.” Impact of treatment on outcome
Source: Europe PMC (PubMed Central)
Authors: A K Malla, R M Norman, L P Voruganti
Institutions: Western University, London Health Sciences Centre
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1604665395