Posted: Friday, October 24, 2014

Research from a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) revealed that patients with psychosis are at higher risk for premature death due to poor physical health and antipsychotic medications that increase occurances of heart disease and other cardiometabolic risks.

The Providence Center was a participant in the NIMH's Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenic Episode (RAISE) project, a two-year study developed to evaluate treatment options for individuals experiencing their first schizophrenic episode. RAISE aimed to investigate coordinated treatment in the early stages of the illness to reduce the likelihood of long-term disability. It examined approximately 400 patients between 15 and 40 diagnosed with first-episode schizophrenia. According to the report published in JAMA Psychiatry, the rates of smoking, dyslipidemia and pre-hypertension were high. Obesity rates were similar to those of the general population.

"The results of this study support our belief that mental health is essential for overall physical health," said Anthony Parente, LMHC, associate director of The Providence Center's adult services and RAISE project director at TPC. "As clinicians, we play an important role in educating clients on healthy lifestyles and connecting them to primary care resources in addition to providing effective, recovery-focused  treatment for their mental health diagnoses."