A systematic review of the impact of admission to a psychiatric hospital on quality of life in patients with a First Episode Psychosis

Introduction: Quality of Life (QoL) is an important outcome measure for people with a first episode psychosis (FEP). Despite high numbers of patients being admitted to psychiatric hospitals following an FEP, the impact of hospital admission on outcome measures such as QoL is under-investigated. This study aimed to systematically review evidence of the impact of hospital admission on QoL in patients with an FEP. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in line with the PRISMA Guidelines. PsychINFO, Medline, CINAHL and EMBASE were searched from 2000 to 2022, examining the impact of QoL for people with an FEP following a hospital admission. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods studies were included in the search. Study quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Assessment Tool. Data was analysed using narrative synthesis. Results: Seven hundred and eight two abstracts were found. Fifty-three full texts were reviewed. Data was extracted for eight articles. Across the eight studies, four discrete QoL measures were employed. Results showed that QoL scores were consistent over time, with little statistical change from baseline to follow-up. Across studies, participants reported low average QoL scores. Across studies, information on the treatment components and duration of hospital admission were scarce. Conclusion: There is a relative paucity of studies that have examined QoL in relation to hospital admission. QoL scores remained consistent over time, suggesting that QoL is relatively well preserved at the first episode. Further research is needed on the impact of inpatient-based interventions in FEP.