Effect of delaying treatment of first-episode psychosis on symptoms and social outcomes: a longitudinal analysis and modelling study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Delayed treatment for first episodes of psychosis predicts worse outcomes. We hypothesised that delaying treatment makes all symptoms more refractory, with harm worsening first quickly, then more slowly. We also hypothesised that although delay impairs treatment response, worse symptoms hasten treatment, which at presentation mitigates the detrimental effect of treatment delay on symptoms.

Methods

In this longitudinal analysis and modelling study, we included two longitudinal cohorts of patients with first-episode psychosis presenting to English early intervention services from defined catchments: NEDEN (recruiting 1003 patients aged 14-35 years from 14 services between Aug 1, 2005, and April 1, 2009) and Outlook (recruiting 399 patients aged 16-35 years from 11 s

SUBMITTER: Drake RJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7606908 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature