Identifying Service and Care Needs from the Users’ Perspective in Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia

Abstract

Exploring service and care needs of patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia is necessary for a better understanding of their psychosocial functioning, in order to develop rehabilitation goals as well as to provide them with better care.

m-RESIST is an innovative project aimed to empower patients with resistant schizophrenia, to personalize treatment by integrating pharmacological and psycho-social approaches, and to develop knowledge related to the illness using predictive models designed to exploit historical and real-time data, based on environmental factors and treatment outcomes.

m-RESIST is a system based on computer and cellular applications and wearable computing devices. The system will serve patients, caregivers and clinicians, and include the following functions: Information, Assessment, Monitoring, Communication, and Intervention.

The first step in the development process included definition of the end user needs and preferences, in order to involve users in the design of the system. Outpatients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia, informal carers (relatives), and clinicians were included in the sample. There were a total of 9 focus groups, 3 in each pilot country. Each group was composed of one of the participant profiles. Additionally, 35 individual interviews were performed, which were unevenly distributed throughout the 3 institutions.

The current workshop section will present the outcomes of this process: perceived advantages and disadvantages of the technological solution, as well as conclusions for further development. In addition, methodological issues, future challenges, relevant for the evolution of the m-RESIST project, in particular, as well as technological developments in the field of mental health, in general, will be discussed.

1Disclosure of interest

The author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.