Psychosocial Interventions for Schizophrenia: Initiating Engagement with Community-based Programs during Admission at an Adult Inpatient Unit

Schizophrenia admissions to a general hospital have higher levels of substance use, lower employment, and difficulty contacting community-based therapies post-discharge compared to other psychiatric morbidity. Three single-blind, randomised controlled trials, developed with interviews, tested interventions to promote engagement with substance use rehabilitation, supported employment, and community-based therapy for auditory verbal hallucinations. A substance use intervention reduced alcohol use at six months compared to treatment as usual. Interventions for supported employment and therapy for auditory verbal hallucinations did not promote engagement. Alack of association between symptom severity and engagement suggests support provided for interventions should be based on patient choice.