The psychiatric, psychosocial and physical health profile of young people with early psychosis: Data from an early psychosis intervention service

Abstract

This article outlines client and service data from an early psychosis service in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, and presents a client and service profile, with a focus on the psychiatric, psychosocial, and physical health profile of young people with early psychosis. Implications for practice are discussed. Client and service data were captured through a range of processes and comprise a number of different datasets, specifically client demographical information and service data as routinely collected (N = 601), psychosocial data collected through a file audit (N = 33), and client physical health data maintained by the physical health nurse (N = 39). The service researcher extracted all data from each of the databases and analyzed the data descriptively for client and service profile information. The client profile data indicate early psychosis clients present with a range of psychiatric, psychosocial, and physical health vulnerabilities. The data presented support the need for mental health care to be provided in conjunction with primary health care, vocational and employment support, exercise and dietary interventions, and support with substance use. Furthermore, this article highlights the importance of family inclusive practice and trauma-informed care in early psychosis services. The findings support calls for services to be integrated and young people to be responded to holistically through the integration of psychological, psychosocial, and physical health care.

Keywords:

• early psychosis service model
• metabolic monitoring
• side effects to antipsychotic medication
• physical health care in early psychosis services
• psychosocial profile of early psychosis clients
• psychosocial mental health care

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.