Psychiatric comorbidity in first episode psychosis: the Early Psychosis Intervention Program (EPIP) experience

To determine the prevalence rates of psychiatric comorbidity in a hospitalized Asian patient group with first episode psychosis and examine its clinical correlates.

Seventy-nine consecutively admitted patients with first episode psychosis were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-axis I disorders (patient edition), Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), Scale to assess Unawareness of Mental Disorders (SUMD) and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scales.

Psychiatric comorbidity was present in 36.7% (n = 29) of the patients. Patients with psychiatric comorbidity were younger (P < 0.05), had an earlier onset of illness (P < 0.05) and better insight on social consequences and flat affect items (P < 0.05) on the SUMD. No significant differences were found between the two groups with and without psychiatric comorbidity in gender, ethnicity, marital status, length of education, employment status, living arrangements, duration of hospitalization and untreated psychosis as well as total PANSS and GAF scores.

Psychiatric comorbidity is common thus calling for a greater awareness in clinicians of these conditions, which are often under-recognized, under-diagnosed and untreated.