Investigation of the use of alcohol and other drugs in patients with first psychotic episode

• Grant number: 13/09110-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2013
• End date: June 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Quirino Cordeiro Júnior
• Grantee: Maria Regina Coelho Junqueira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP). Fundação Arnaldo Vieira de Carvalho. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 11/50740-5 - Prevention in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder from neuroscience to the community: a multiphase, multimodal and translational platform for research and intervention, AP.TEM

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric illness remarkable prevalence worldwide. In general, it affects young individuals, tracing a chronic and debilitating course. One of the main risk factors for the development of this pathology is the use of psychoactive substances (such as alcohol and illicit drugs). Recent research shows that the date of the first psychotic episode has been found high rates of use of toxic substances. This paper proposes to make a descriptive analysis of the pattern of use of alcohol and other drugs and to investigate its association with the severity of psychotic symptoms in patients with first episode psychosis, and to investigate the correlation between the use of alcohol and other drugs in sociodemographic variables such as gender, age of first psychotic episode and social support. To this end, this project aims to carry out a retrospective observational study - by conducting a descriptive analysis of the data collected in the initial assessment of patients included in the original research project (already explained in the presentation). The sample consists of 140 patients with first episode psychosis without prior use of antipsychotic medications. The expansion of knowledge about the associations of psychoactive substances and schizophrenia in its earliest stage can provide relevant information to early intervention and prevent unfavorable outcomes of schizophrenia. (AU)