Symptom and functional outcomes for a 5year early intervention program for psychoses

Symptom and functional outcomes for a 5year early intervention program for psychoses

Ross M.G. Norman, Rahul Manchanda, Ashok K. Malla, Deborah Windell, Raj Harricharan, Sandra Northcott

Abstract 

There continues to be controversy concerning the long term benefits of specialized early intervention programs (SEI) for psychotic disorders. Recent reports of five year outcomes for SEI programs indicate that benefits of early intervention programs at two year follow-up have disappeared at five years. The Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychoses (PEPP) in London, Ontario offers continuity of care for five years, with a lower intensity level of specialized intervention after the initial two years. In this paper we examine whether the outcomes observed at two years were maintained at five year follow-up. In addition, it was possible to compare PEPP outcomes with those of the OPUS project at two and five years.

Results indicate that improvement of symptoms between entry into PEPP and two year follow-up were maintained at five years. In addition, there was further improvement in global functioning between two and five year follow-up. Comparison of PEPP outcomes at two and five year follow-up to those of OPUS suggest that longer term continuity of care within SEI is associated with continuing benefits at least with respect to level of positive symptoms and functioning.

Keywords: Early intervention, Psychosis, Service delivery