The Stockholm Follow-up Study of Users Diagnosed with Psychosis (SUPP): methodology, patient cohort and services

Backgroundthe de-, re- and trans-institutionalization of psychiatric care has resulted in a number of changes in the interventions available to persons with severe mental disorders.AimsThis article describes the design of a naturalistic follow-up study of persons with a psychosis diagnosis, the characteristics of the study population, and the interventions they received prior to study participation from various agencies in and outside of mental healthcare. Method: data from various registers, such as psychiatric and social services case registers, criminal records, and the cause of death register have been collected and analyzed.ResultsUnder the period 1997–2004, 42% were in contact only with out-patient care, 58% were in contact with the social services, and 2% had served prison sentences.ConclusionsStudies need to include interventions that are provided beyond the scope of psychiatric services in order to assess the extent of the existing support network and the long-term outcomes for persons with a psychosis diagnosis. The lack of a gender perspective in psychiatric research also needs to be addressed. the de-, re- and trans-institutionalization of psychiatric care has resulted in a number of changes in the interventions available to persons with severe mental disorders.This article describes the design of a naturalistic follow-up study of persons with a psychosis diagnosis, the characteristics of the study population, and the interventions they received prior to study participation from various agencies in and outside of mental healthcare. Method: data from various registers, such as psychiatric and social services case registers, criminal records, and the cause of death register have been collected and analyzed.Under the period 1997–2004, 42% were in contact only with out-patient care, 58% were in contact with the social services, and 2% had served prison sentences.Studies need to include interventions that are provided beyond the scope of psychiatric services in order to assess the extent of the existing support network and the long-term outcomes for persons with a psychosis diagnosis. The lack of a gender perspective in psychiatric research also needs to be addressed.