Citation

Chee KY, Muhammad Dain NA, Abdul Aziz S, Syed Mokhtar SS, Mat Junus M, Zam Zam R, Yahya B, Cheah YC. Asia Pac. Psychiatry 2012; 4(1): 30-39.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1758-5872.2011.00166.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: This first outcome study for people with first-episode schizophrenia (FES) in Malaysia was based on data collected from the National Mental Health Registry (NMHR). The aim of the study was to assess the outcome of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, one year after contact with mental health services; and to evaluate treatments as well as the utilization of medical and other services in the country.

METHODS: All patients with FES registered in NMHR between 1 March 2004 and 28 February 2005 were included and 79 centers carried out outcome assessments. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected and compared with the data in NMHR that was gathered one year ago. Descriptive statistic was used to analyze the data.

RESULTS: Of 2604 registered patients with FES, only 37.7% had their outcomes successfully assessed. Among those assessed, 25.5% were lost to follow-up and 45.8% were followed-up in different centers. Only two patients committed suicide. Increases in weight gain and body mass index were major concerns. On a positive note, employability improved. Forty percent of the patients had their antipsychotics changed over the one-year period but about 20% of patients were on polytherapy at baseline and after one year. The use of anticholinergic medication dropped remarkably after the one-year treatment period.

DISCUSSION: This study has shown that one of the great barriers in conducting a nationwide outcome assessment of FES patients was the high attrition rate. Nevertheless, these findings provided an important glimpse into the socio-demographic and clinical outcomes of the patients. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Language: en

Keywords

human; mental health; suicide; Malaysia; Schizophrenia; Mental health; schizophrenia; treatment outcome; risk factor; Outcome; article; major clinical study; controlled study; neuroleptic agent; priority journal; mental health service; social aspect; electroconvulsive therapy; haloperidol; follow up; demography; olanzapine; risperidone; weight gain; drug withdrawal; multicenter study; chlorpromazine; prospective study; cholinergic receptor blocking agent; atypical antipsychotic agent; health care utilization; sulpiride; employability; monotherapy; body mass; unspecified side effect; fluphenazine; outcome assessment; treatment duration; drug substitution; trihexyphenidyl; disease registry; zuclopenthixol; clinical evaluation; Registry; first episode schizophrenia; flupentixol decanoate