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Restrictive COVID-19 measures can have significant mental health impacts, particularly on young people. How such measures may influence day-to-day momentary affect, nonetheless, remains to be explored. Experience sampling data were collected from 165 young people (aged 15-24) as part of a larger epidemiological youth mental health study in Hong Kong. We examined the impact of one of the most stringent COVID-19 measures - dine-in restrictions - on momentary positive and negative affect and current contexts and activities of these young people. The effects of a milder form of COVID-19 measure - school suspension - were separately examined. Multilevel analysis revealed that those in the dine-in ban group, compared to dining-as-usual, showed significantly reduced momentary positive affect ([beta] = -0.17, SE = 0.06, p = 0.003). Its effect remained significant even when accounting for baseline depressive and anxiety symptoms and socioeconomic status ([beta] = -0.15, SE = 0.05, p = 0.008). The effect of dine-in ban on reduced momentary positive affect was found specifically when participants were in indoor locations (e.g., home, office), alone, and engaged in passive leisure activities. This pattern was not observed when participants were at school or at other outdoor locations, with friends, or engaged in active leisure activities. No significant effect of school suspension on momentary affect was observed. More severe COVID-19 measures, such as dine-in ban, can have significant impacts on the momentary positive affect of young people. Certain contexts and activities may offer protection against the consequences of COVID-19 measures. The current findings may help to inform future designs of mental health interventions and public health policies., Author(s): Stephanie M. Y. Wong [sup.1] , Yandy Y. Li [sup.1] , Christy L. M. Hui [sup.1] , Corine S. M. Wong [sup.1] , T. Y. Wong [sup.1] , Charlton [...]

Aim: Although the reasons behind the stigmatization of psychosis are manifold, poor mental health literacy among the general public is likely to be a major factor. In Hong Kong, the Early Psychosis Foundation (EPISO) was established in 2007 to tackle this issue by providing educational and mental health promotional activities, among other aims and services. The current study evaluated the effectiveness of a school‐based interventional programme, the School Tour, developed by EPISO. Methods: The School Tour differentiates itself from other interventional programmes by supplementing a traditional psychoeducational talk with 2 additional elements: an engaging drama performance and exercise demonstrations. Twelve secondary schools, with a total of 4520 students, participated in the study. Knowledge and attitudes towards psychosis were evaluated before and after the school programme. Results: The School Tour was found to improve both students' knowledge of psychosis (P < .001) and their attitude (P < .001) towards the illness. Conclusions: Its effectiveness in reducing the stigma towards psychosis validates the use of novel strategies like drama performances to engage adolescent students, and urges the government to support increased student participation in the programme by providing funding to the relevant organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women, especially those with low‐socio‐economic status and financial deprivation, are found to be affected by mental illnesses disproportionately. We compared the clinical, functioning and cognitive characteristics between the financially deprived women with first‐episode psychosis and their non‐deprived women counterparts. Method: A cross‐sectional analysis of consecutively recruited first‐episode psychosis women patients was conducted. A total of 93 financially deprived women patients and 105 non‐deprived women patients aged 25 to 55 years were compared in terms of demographic, premorbid and help‐seeking characteristics, baseline clinical characteristics, baseline functioning and baseline cognitive functioning. Results: Financially deprived women were older (P =.005), had received less education (P =.001), more likely to live alone (P <.001) and with a higher proportion of immigrants (P =.001). Whereas there was no significant difference found in duration of untreated psychosis, deprived women had more severe depressive symptoms (P =.021) and more severe negative symptoms, in terms of avolition‐apathy (P =.003) and anhedonia‐asociality (P =.008). They also perform worse in social and occupational functioning (P =.002) and a range of cognitive abilities. Conclusions: Nearly half of the adult female patients with first‐episode psychosis in Hong Kong encountered persistent financially difficulties. The fact that they suffer from more severe symptoms and worsened functioning and cognitive abilities at an early stage of illness shows that this subgroup of patients warrant assistance and attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aims at assessing the rate and predictors of disengagement of patients with first‐episode psychosis (FEP) from the early intervention (EI) service in Hong Kong (EASY) that covers age 15 to 64. Methods: All FEP patients aged 15 to 64 years who were newly registered with the EASY programme of Kowloon West Psychiatric Unit from January to December 2012 were included. Data on socio‐demographic, clinical characteristics and disengagement over 3 years of the EI service were obtained retrospectively through systematic clinical record review. Predictors of 3 different types of disengagement and their rate of occurrence were identified: complete disengagement (type I), disengaged and re‐engaged through hospitalization (type II) and re‐engaged as outpatient (type III). Results: Among the 277 patients included for analysis, 36 patients (13%) had type I disengagement, 17.2% (N = 21) were of age 15 to 25 and 9.7% (N = 15) were of age 25 to 64. Type II and type III disengagements were 4.3% and 13.4%, respectively. Early‐stage poor drug compliance significantly predicted type I and type II disengagements. History of substance use, suicidal attempts and poor drug compliance predicted type III disengagement. Younger patients had significant earlier disengagement (χ2 = 5.01, df = 1, P = .025). Conclusion: Results of the current study highlighted the different patterns of disengagement for different age groups and the importance of identifying the high‐risk group at early stage of the illness. With the expansion of EI service for wider age group, studies of the differential needs of patient with different ages would be important to guide the future service development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim In Hong Kong, 'si-jue-shi-tiao' (思覺失調) was officially adopted as the Chinese translation of psychosis in 2001. The new term covered a broader aspect of psychosis, compared with the original term, 'jing-shen-fen-lie' (精神分裂), which gave a negative stereotype as a 'mental split-mind disorder'. The current study compared the usage of the two terms, and added evidence to the name changing as anti-stigma strategy. Methods The usage and themes of the new Chinese name of psychosis 'si-jue-shi-tiao' was examined in 1217 local newspaper articles in comparison with the traditional Chinese name of schizophrenia 'jing-shen-fen-lie'. Results Results show that an increase use of 'si-jue-shi-tiao' was found equally across themes, whereas 'jing-shen-fen-lie' was decreasingly used in positive/neutral themes over time. The association of 'jing-shen-fen-lie' with dangerous wordings increased over time, but no change was found with the new name. Conclusions Our finding adds to literature on effects of changing new name on public stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim With the movement of early detection and intervention for people at risk for psychosis, there is a growing need for a uniform terminology to describe the condition. A diagnostic label that can adapt into local culture and value may have positive effect in minimizing stigma. This study explored the preference of Chinese label for people at risk of psychosis and its associated stigma in Hong Kong. Methods A total of 149 individuals from the general public and 51 health-care professionals were recruited between March 2013 and May 2014. The condition of at risk for psychosis was described in a vignette. Participants' preference of label and perceived stigma of the condition and their basic demographics were collected by self-administered questionnaires. Results The most preferred Chinese label was ' yun-niang-qi' (developing period, 45%), followed by ' qian-qu-qi' (precursor period, 19%), ' feng-xian-qi' (risky period, 18%), ' zao-xian-qi' (early sign period, 16%) and ' gao-wei-qi' (high risk period, 4%). Gender, age, occupation and previous contact with mental health were not associated with preference of any Chinese label. Conclusions The process in searching for this potential and locally accepted label for people at risk for psychosis has raised the awareness among the professionals. A proper label may help promote future clinical research and mental health services in Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This study compared the quality of life and functioning of 285 first-episode psychosis Chinese patients with different antipsychotic medications in Hong Kong. Method Under the Jockey Club Early Psychosis project, a total of 285 patients were recruited from all inpatient and outpatient psychiatric units in Hong Kong between 2009 and 2011. In addition to the medication information, patients were assessed with the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms, the Udvalg for Kliniske Undersøgelser ( UKU), Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale ( BARS), the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale ( SOFAS), the Role Functioning Scale, and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 12- Item Health Survey ( SF-12) after stabilization of mental condition. Differences between individual antipsychotic medications were compared using anova and multinomial regression model. Results The results demonstrated significant differences between different antipsychotic medications in the mean of UKU neurological subscore, BARS total score, SOFAS score and SF-12 Mental Component Summary ( MCS) score. Patients with haloperidol had higher mean UKU neurological subscore than patients with olanzapine or amisulpride. Risperidone was associated with higher mean BARS total score than olanzapine, amisulpride or sulpiride. Higher mean MCS was found in patients with amisulpride than patients with risperidone. Conclusions The findings suggest that antipsychotics have differential associations with the quality of life and functioning in patients with first-episode psychosis. Future prospective study is warranted to investigate if patients with first-episode psychosis will benefit specific type of antipsychotics more than the others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]