Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-dnltx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T04:18:35.934Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A functional comparison of patients with schizophrenia between the North and South of Europe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2020

L. Helldin ,
R. Cavallaro  and
S. Galderisi
L. Helldin*
Affiliation:
Department of psychiatry, NU-Health Care Hospital, 46185Trollhattan, Sweden Department of Psychology, Karlstad University, 65188Karlstad, Sweden
R. Cavallaro
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neurosciences San Raffaele Universitary Scientific Institute Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina, 20132Milan, Italy
S. Galderisi
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Naples SUN, Largo Madonna delle Grazie, 80123Naples, Italy
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail address: lars@helldin.se
Get access

Abstract

Introduction

The main objective of this study was to compare clinical and functional outcomes of patients with schizophrenia in Italy and Sweden with a special focus on daily functioning performance and real life milestones. Also, to study if outcome is to be regarded as a consequence of premorbid function, the level of symptom control and functional capacity or if other influences, such as cultural differences, must parallel be considered.

Method

Ninety-five patients from three centres, Milan and Naples in Italy and Trollhattan in Sweden were investigated. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment - Brief version were used together with patients’ school history and their status of accommodation and occupation.

Results

Patients in Trollhattan were more likely to live independently and patients in Naples to have a work or take part in education. Differences in symptoms and the performance test were present but subtle.

Discussion

Differences in real life milestones were not explained by corresponding differences in symptoms, premorbid function or the performance-based test. It is therefore not appropriate only to present functional outcome as an expression of how successful treatment has been.

Keywords

SchizophreniaPerformance assessmentCultural influence
Type
Original articles
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 27 , Issue 6 , August 2012 , pp. 442 - 444
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier Masson SAS 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andreasen, N.C., Carpenter, W., Kane, J.M., Lasser, R.A., Marder, S.R., Weinberger, D.R.Remission in schizophrenia: proposed criteria and rationale for consensus. Am J Psychiatry. 2005; 162: 441–449.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harvey, P.D., Helldin, L., Bowie, C.R., Heaton, R.K., Olsson, A.-K., Hjärthag, F.et al.Performance-based measurement of functional disability in schizophrenia: a cross-national Study in the United States and Sweden. Am J Psychiatry. 2009; 166: 821–827.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Helldin, L., Kane, J.M., Karilampi, U., Norlander, T., Archer, T.Remission in prognosis of functional outcome: a new dimension in the treatment of patients with psychotic disorders. Schizophr Res. 93 1–3: 2007 160–168.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kay, S.R., Fitzbein, A., Opler, L.A.The positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) for schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull. 1987; 13: 261–267.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leifker, F.R., Patterson, T.L., Bowie, C.R., Mausbach, B.T., Harvey, P.D.Psychometric properties of performance-based measurements of functional capacity: test-retest reliability, practice effects, and potential sensitivity to chance. Schizophr Res. 119 1–3: 2010 246–252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lindström, E., Eriksson, B., Hellgren, A., von Knorring, L., Eberhard, G.Efficacy and safety of Risperidone in the long-term treatment of patients with schizophrenia. Clin Ther. 1995; 17: 402–412.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mausbach, B.T., Harvey, P.D., Pulver, A.E., Depp, C.A., Wolyniec, P.S., Thornquist, M.H.et al.Relationship of the Brief UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment (UPSA-B) to multiple indicators in people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disord. 12 1: 2010 45–55.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Patterson, T.L., Goldman, S., McKibbin, C.L., Hughs, T., Jeste, D.V.UCSD performance-based skills assessment: development of a new measure of everyday functioning for severely mentally ill adults. Schizophr Bull. 27 2: 2001 235–245.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Phelan, M., Slade, M., Thornicroft, G., Dunn, G., Holloway, F., Wykes, T.H.et al.The Camberwell Assessment of Need: the validity and reliability of an instrument to assess the needs of people with severe mental illness. Br J Psychiatry. 1995; 167: 589–595.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Strauss, J.S., Carpenter, W.T.The prediction of outcome in schizophrenia I: characteristics of outcome. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1972; 27: 739–746.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.