Development of a Simple Comprehensive Scale to Reduce the Untreated Duration of Schizophrenia for Gate Persons

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K19856
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Society medicine, Nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Senri Kinran University (2018-2022); The Japanese Red Cross Hiroshima College of Nursing (2017)
• Principal Investigator: Sasamoto Misa 千里金蘭大学, 看護学部, 教授 (70568104)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 水野 雅文 東邦大学, 医学部, 教授 (80245589) ; 小園 由味恵 安田女子大学, 看護学部, 准教授 (50583928)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 統合失調症 / 未治療期間 / 評価ツール

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to design a straightforward and comprehensive assessment tool for adolescents with schizophrenia to effectively decrease the duration of untreated schizophrenia. The assessment involves evaluating psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial factors. Psychiatric symptoms were assessed using the 11-item PRIME-J screening. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with adolescents who experienced schizophrenia, focusing on physical, psychological, and social factors. From the gathered information, four physical items, nine psychological items, and five social items were identified. The developed scale consists of 6-point scales aligned with the PRIME-J screening, where a higher total score indicates a higher risk status. Future studies will focus on validating and ensuring the reliability of evaluating the physical, psychological, and social aspects.

Free Research Field

看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

統合失調症の未治療期間が生活機能や社会機能の障害の改善に関与していることが指摘されている．そのため，未治療期間の短縮化を図ることが重要になるが，統合失調症の場合は，当事者もその家族も病識を持ちにくいことやスティグマ等により自主的な受療行動につながりにくい．
そこで，当事者の身近にいるゲートパーソンとなる職種，学校保健関係者や保健師などがアセスメントできる簡易的な包括尺度を開発することで早期発見や介入が可能となり未治療期間の短縮化および家族の精神的負担の軽減に寄与できる．