Creating a Platform to Bridge Service and Research for Early Psychosis

Received 10 April 2008; received in revised form 29 May 2008; accepted 16 June 2008.

Early identification of subjects at risk of developing psychosis is the key to early intervention. A prospective study on the psychopathological progress from prodromal state to full-blown psychosis was initiated in Taiwan in 2006. However, the clinical entity of our interests is ill-defined; therefore, recruitment of at risk subjects to participate in studies requires innovation. In November 2006, the study team launched a special clinic for cognitive and perceptual disturbance. In the first year, 142 subjects, mostly aged 16–30 year olds, made an appointment for this special clinic. More than 20 tentative diagnoses were made. Seventy-six subjects with a gradient of clinical severity were eligible for enrollment, and 68 gave informed consent to participate in the research. It seems that setting up a special clinic to provide a service for at risk subjects, combined with certain campaigns, could facilitate their engagement in a longitudinal prospective study for early psychosis.

Key Words: early diagnosis , prodrome , prospective study , schizophrenia , special clinic

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Article Outline

• Abstract

• References

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References

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Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Correspondence to: Dr Chen-Chung Liu, Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, 7 Chung Shan South Road, Taipei 10002, Taiwan

PII: S0929-6646(10)60089-7

doi:10.1016/S0929-6646(10)60089-7

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