Affiliations 

  • 1 Kwai Chung Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong
  • 2 Hobart and Southern CMHT, Tasmanian Health Organisation - South, Tasmania, Australia
  • 3 Department of Epidemiology Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
  • 4 Department of Psychopharmacology, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Peking, China
  • 5 Hon. CEO, Richmond Fellowship Society, Bangalore, India
  • 6 Department of Psychiatry SRM University, Kattankulathur, India
  • 7 Department of Psychiatry National General Hospital, Ciptomangunkusumo/Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
  • 8 Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya
  • 9 College of Medicine Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
  • 10 Department of Community Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore
  • 11 Department of Psychiatry, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa
  • 12 Department of Psychiatry, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
  • 13 Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
  • 14 Department of Psychiatry, Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
  • 15 Department of Psychiatry, St. Vincent's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Asia Pac Psychiatry, 2016 Jun;8(2):154-71.
PMID: 27062665 DOI: 10.1111/appy.12234

Abstract

Providing optimal care to patients with recent-onset psychosis can improve outcomes and reduce relapse. However, there is a lack of consistency of the implementation of guidelines for such patients across the Asia-Pacific region. We determined a pragmatic set of recommendations for use on a day-to-day basis to help provide optimal care at this crucial stage of illness. The recommendations were developed over a series of meetings by an international faculty of 15 experts from the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, and South Africa. A structured search of the PubMed database was conducted. This was further developed based on the faculty's clinical experience and knowledge of the literature into 10 key aspects of optimal care for patients during the first five years of a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder, with particular relevance to the Asia-Pacific region. Several common principles emerged: adherence to antipsychotic medications is crucial; substance abuse, psychiatric and medical comorbidities should be addressed; psychosocial interventions play a pivotal role; and family members can play a vital role in overall patient care. By following these recommendations, clinicians may improve outcomes for patients with recent-onset psychosis.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.