EXTENDING PRIMARY INDICATED PREVENTION TO IMPROVE PSYCHOSIS OUTCOMES

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    EXTENDING THE BENEFITS OF PRIMARY INDICATED PREVENTION TO IMPROVE PSYCHOSIS OUTCOMES

  • IRAS ID

    225728

  • Contact name

    Dominic Oliver

  • Contact email

    dominic.a.oliver@kcl.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    King's College London

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 11 months, 31 days

  • Research summary

    There are few treatment options for established psychosis, with a high impact on the person, their family and society. Prevention in individuals at risk for psychosis is the most promising avenue for improving outcomes of this serious condition. Effective preventative treatments based on talking therapies are widely recommended, with the aim of improving the lives of youths who are at risk of psychosis, distressed and seeking help. However, currently, these benefits are limited by two aspects:

    1. The difficulty of identifying these individuals: only 5% of individuals developing psychosis are currently detected in specific mental health services
    2. Limited prognostic accuracy: prediction of psychosis is not tailored to each individual.

    This pilot study addresses these two limitations in knowledge.

    First, we will use an individualised risk calculator which has been developed and validated by our group (www.psychosis-risk.net) for use in clinical practice. This risk calculator will be used to detect individuals at risk of developing psychosis in secondary mental health care.

    Second, the detected individuals will then undergo a refined psychosis assessment which addresses multiple exposures concurrently. This assessment will include a polyrisk prognostic tool based on a psychometric assessment for several non-genetic risk and protective factors for psychosis. The polyrisk prognostic tool will be used to predict the outcomes in patients detected through the previous risk calculator.

    Integrating the two tools holds promise to increase the detection of at risk cases as well as to refine the prediction of psychosis. The use of these tools has the potential to enhance the prevention of psychosis in the UK, improving the lives of many youths. Service users have been involved in preparing this summary, endorsing the importance of our approach.

    This proposal will investigate the feasibility of using this calculator and this refined psychosis assessment in clinical practice.

  • REC name

    East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    18/EE/0066

  • Date of REC Opinion

    17 Apr 2018

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion