Early intervention in schizophrenia

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Index

Summary

Introduction

• The epidemiology of schizophrenia

Methods

• Establishment of Guidelines Development Group (GDG) and identification of key questions
• Literature search
• Guidelines
  • Guidelines: selection criteria
  • Guidelines: methodological evaluation
• Systematic reviews and primary documents
• Other studies/searches
• Selection criteria and instruments for methodological evaluation
• Data rating, evidence synthesis, and formulation of recommendations
• Principles of good clinical practice
• External revision
• Updating, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation

Early intervention in high risk individuals and/or prodromal patients

• Question A1: What is the effectiveness of early intervention to identify high risk individuals and/or prodromal patients?
• Question A2: What instruments are available to identify high risk individuals and/or prodromal patients?
• Question A3: What is the role of pharmacological therapy in high risk individuals and/or prodromal patients?
• Question A4: What is the role of psychological (psychotherapeutic, psychoeducational, family, psychosocial) treatments in high risk individuals and/or prodromal patients?
• Question A5: What is the optimal design of services aimed at identifying and treating high risk individuals and/or prodromal patients (in terms of facilities, personnel, and intervention methods)?

Early intervention in first episode patients

• Question B1: What is the effectiveness of timely diagnostic intervention and early treatment of first episode patients? What are the consequences of the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) during the period following first episode?
• Question B2: What instruments are available to identify first episode patients?
• Question B3: what is the role of pharmacological therapy in patients with first episode psychosis?
• Question B4: What is the role of pharmacological therapy in the period following first episode psychosis?
• Question B5: What is the role of psychological forms of treatment (psychotherapeutic, psychoeducational, family-, psychosocial) during the period following first episode?
• Question B6: what is the optimal design of services aimed at identifying and treating individuals with first episode psychosis or at assisting patients during the period following first episode (in terms of facilities, personnel, and intervention methods)?

Appendixes

• Appendix 1: indicators for evaluating early intervention in schizophrenia programmes, in Italian Mental Health Departments
• Appendix 2: Italian programmes