An “alarmingly high” 52 percent of 200 patients with schizophrenia followed in a recent German study relapsed within a year, according to a recent report in Psychiatric Services.
Most likely to relapse were patients whose symptoms were not in remission at discharge, those who had more severe symptoms and side effects, and those who were not on second-generation antipsychotics at discharge. The at-risk group also was less likely to have a “positive attitude” toward treatment adherence and less likely to be employed. Depressive symptoms at discharge were found to be “significant predictors” of relapse in the following year as well.
Relapse was defined as “a worsening of psychopathological symptoms or rehospitalization within after hospital discharge.”
“Several studies have demonstrated that early and adequate symptom control is the precondition of achieving a favorable long-term course of the illness, according to “Predictors of relapse in the year after hospital discharge among patients with schizophrenia” (Psychiatric Services, Jan. 2012).
That’s academese for: Patients with schizophrenia who get early, effective treatment do better in the long run than those who don’t.
Court-ordered outpatient treatment is used in many states that have assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) laws as a means of promoting medication adherence in patients leaving state hospitals. Family members with a loved one receiving involuntary treatment in a hospital may be able to advocate for discharge with court supervision.
To learn about the mental illness treatment laws in your state, visit Civil Commitment Laws on our website. For tips on overcoming obstacles to treatment for a loved one recovering from a psychiatric crisis, see "Eliminating Barriers: Tips for Advocates on Breaking Through."
Other recently reported research now available online:
- "Trends in use of second-generation antipsychotics for treatment of bipolar disorder in the United States, 1998-2009" (Psychiatric Services, January 2012)
- "Manic symptoms linked to specific criminal acts" (Psychiatric Services, January 2012)
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