Antipsychotic treatment can help improve outcomes in schizophrenia by reducing the risk of relapse and psychiatric hospitalization, and increasing rates of remission and recovery, particularly when used early in the disease course. However, adherence to oral antipsychotics is often poor. Long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic formulations are associated with significant improvements in treatment adherence compared with oral medications, but LAIs are not widely used in early-phase schizophrenia.

An educational training program, called “Prevention in Practice,” was developed to offer clinicians a range of innovative, web-based, patient-centered resources, including virtual role-play and educational films, that aim to improve communication between clinicians and patients and help progress care for patients with early-phase schizophrenia. The program was based on findings from the PRELAPSE study, in which clinicians received training to improve communication with patients. The PRELAPSE trial was a cluster randomized study conducted in 39 mental health centers across 19 US states. Sites were randomized to encourage treatment with the LAI aripiprazole once-monthly 400 mg (AOM 400) or to provide treatment as usual. Eligible patients had a diagnosis of schizophrenia, <5 years of lifetime antipsychotic use, and were aged 18–35 years. The objective was to evaluate whether use of the LAI delayed time to first hospitalization in early-phase schizophrenia, compared with usual care. Clinicians received training on the rationale for LAI use in early psychosis, transitioning to LAIs, and discussing LAIs with patients and families. Communication training included the principles of shared decision-making, suggested responses to frequently asked questions, and role-playing.

In PRELAPSE, the sites randomized to encourage LAI treatment enrolled 234 patients and the sites randomized to usual care enrolled 255 patients. Training clinicians to improve their communication with patients made a difference—91% of patients with early-phase schizophrenia were willing to use LAI treatment at least once in the first 3 months of the study. Furthermore, the results showed that AOM 400 significantly prolonged time to first psychiatric hospitalization compared with usual care (hazard ratio: 0.56 [95% confidence interval: 0.34, 0.92]; p=0.02).

Offering clinicians training to improve their communication with patients, through techniques such as shared decision-making and motivational interviewing, may increase LAI use in early-phase schizophrenia. ”Prevention in Practice” is now available in in different countries and languages.

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (Princeton, NJ, USA) and H. Lundbeck A/S (Valby, Denmark).