Charateristics of First Episode Psychosis Patients with Reassessment after Eight Years

Abstract

The first episode psychosis (FEP) is now a widely investigated topic, given that early intervention in these cases can mean an improved prognostic. Thus, this study sought to evaluate and characterize the evolution of these early outbreaks that were admitted at the Acute Inpatient Unit of the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital São Francisco Xavier, as only knowledge of the needs of care can enhance the quality and appropriateness of provided health care and assistance and enable to create structures that meet real needs. The present study, naturalistic, retrospective, evaluated the first psychotic episodes in patients admitted to the inpatient unit. It documented socio-demographic and clinical variables and re-evaluated the outcomes of these patients 8 years after admission, through information in the clinical case notes. The initial sample was 25 patients. The main findings consisted of a high number of dropouts from the outpatient clinic (only 20% remaining in follow-up), large number of substance abuse (48% of patients), a large number of readmissions and a slight worsening of the socio-professional status. It should be noted also that 20% of patients evolved to a schizophrenia diagnosis. This study allows us to alert healthcare professionals to this reality and emphasize the need to develop secondary prevention strategies that promote a pro-active attitude of the technicians, in order to obtain a greater adherence to a therapeutic project.