Delay in psychiatric hospitalization from the diagnosis of first-episode schizophrenia and its association with clinical outcomes and direct medical costs: a nationwide, health insurance data-based study

ABSTRACT:

Background

Early intervention is essential for improving the prognosis in patients with first-episode schizophrenia (FES). The Mental Health Act limits involuntary hospitalization in South Korea to cases where an individual exhibits both a mental disorder and a potential for harming themselves or others, which could result in a delay in the required treatment in FES. We investigated the effect of delay in the first psychiatric hospitalization on clinical outcomes in FES.

Methods

The South Korean Health Insurance Review Agency database (2012–2019) was used. We identified 15,994 patients with FES who had a record of at least one psychiatric hospitalization within 1 year from their diagnosis. A multivariate linear regression model and a generalized linear model with a gamma

SUBMITTER: Joo S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9548117 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature