Early intervention for psychosis patients cuts suicide risk by half, 12-year study in Hong Kong finds

Rate cut by more than 50 per cent in programme that got patients to a mental health professional in just two weeks, but risk was still more than double the international average

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Psychosis patients are most likely to commit suicide in the first three years after diagnosis. Photo: Handout

Published: 8:30am, 7 Apr 2018Updated: 11:35pm, 7 Apr 2018

An early intervention programme to support Hongkongers suffering from psychosis in the first two years after diagnosis could cut their suicide rate by half, according to a study of more than 1,000 patients over 12 years.

Those with symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions were placed on a fast track to see a psychiatrist within two weeks as part of a public hospital scheme that began in 2001. The treatment included follow-ups with a dedicated case manager to help them cope with the challenges of daily life.

The suicide rate for these patients was more than 50 per cent lower than that for the average psychosis sufferer in Hong Kong. However, it was still more than double the international average.

The study, the first of its kind in Hong Kong, highlighted the need for policymakers to enhance patient treatment amid a severe shortage of psychiatrists and mental health professionals in the city.

Patients received relatively intense treatment in the first three years and were followed less closely in later years when their conditions became more stable. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Psychosis patients are most likely to commit suicide in the first three years after diagnosis. The researchers said most deaths arose because the patients lacked the skills to cope with their illness.