Saint John of God Research Department conducted research in its phase regarding;
- Early intervention Service for Psychosis in Northern Malawi. Is it needed? Is it feasible?
- A randomized Control Trial of carer education in schizophrenia and Bipolar disorders.
Current Research
Early intervention Service for Psychosis in Northern Malawi. Is it need? Is it feasible?
Research Objectives
- Assess the average duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) in Northern Malawi
- To determine whether DUP predict outcome as it does in Ireland and other developed countries
- Establish the attitudes of the population at risk, their families and staff to the concept of an early intervention (EI) service being introduced.
- Determine if the DUP were prolonged and it predicted outcome
Research Hypotheses
Presented as null hypotheses:
- The duration of untreated psychosis in Mzuzu is shorter than that in developed countries
- The duration of untreated psychosis is unrelated to outcome in Mzuzu
- Patients would not welcome an Early Intervention Service in Mzuzu
- Their families would not welcome an Early Intervention Service in Mzuzu
- Clinical staff in Mzuzu would not welcome an Early Intervention Service
Previous Research
A randomized Control Trial of carer education in schizophrenia and Bipolar disorders
Objectives
- To evaluate the level of knowledge about schizophrenia among the carers of persons with schizophrenia in Malawi
- To measure burden of care and quality of life among carers of persons with schizophrenia in Malawi
- To evaluate the effect of a six-week programme of group carer education for schizophrenia on carer knowledge, burden of care, and relapse rates.
- To evaluate the level of knowledge of bipolar disorder among the carers of persons with bipolar disorder in Malawi
- To measure burden of care and quality of life among carers of persons with bipolar disorder in Malawi
- To evaluate the effect of a six-week programme of group carer education for bipolar disorder on carer knowledge, burden of care, and relapse rates.
Hypotheses
Group carer education for schizophrenia is no more effective than a non-specific group intervention in increasing carer knowledge, reducing the burden of care among carers, or reducing the relapse rate among affected relatives.
- Group carer education for schizophrenia is no more effective than treatment as usual in increasing carer knowledge, reducing the burden of care among carers, or reducing the relapse rate among affected relatives.
- Group carer education for bipolar disorder is no more effective than a non-specific group intervention in increasing carer knowledge, reducing the burden of care among carers, or reducing the relapse rate among affected relatives.
- Group carer education for bipolar disorder is no more effective than treatment as usual in increasing carer knowledge, reducing the burden of care among carers, or reducing the relapse rate among affected relatives.
- Currently the following papers have been published.: Dimension of insight and their association with psychosocial outcome in patients with schizophrenia and A little knowledge: Carer givers burden in schizophrenia in Mzuzu in BJPsy and European Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology respectively
Downloads
Insight, psychopathology and global functioning in schizophrenia in urban Malawi
A little knowledge Caregiver burden in schizophrenia in Malawi
Depression among mothers in Mzuzu: Prevalence and its associated factors
Client satisfaction evaluation 3
Early Intervention Service for psychosis in Northern Malawi. Research Report
Duration of Untreated Psychosis and its Associated Factors
Contact Details
Clinical Director
Saint John of God Hospitaller Services
P.O. Box 744
Mzuzu, Malawi
Tel: + (265) 01 311690 / + (265) 01 311495
Fax: + (265) 01 311213
Email: harris.chilale@sjog.mw