The British Journal of Psychiatry (2007) 190: 515-520. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.106.024448
© 2007 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Substance use in a population-based clinic sample of people with first-episode psychosis

JENNIFER H. BARNETT, PhD, URSULA WERNERS, PhD and SANDRA M. SECHER, BA

Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge

KATHERINE E. HILL, MRCPsych and ROSSA BRAZIL, MRCPsych

Cameo, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

KIM MASSON, RMN, RGN, MA

Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge

DAVID E. PERNET, BSc and JAMES B. KIRKBRIDE, PhD

Cameo, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

GRAHAM K. MURRAY, MRCPsych, PhD, ED. T. BULLMORE, MRCPsych, PhD and PETER B. JONES, MRCPsych, PhD

Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

Correspondence: Correspondence: Dr Jennifer Barnett, Department of Psychiatry, Box 189, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK. Email: jhb32{at}cam.ac.uk

Declaration of interest None. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.

Background Substance use is implicated in the cause and course of psychosis.

Aims To characterise substance and alcohol use in an epidemiologically representative treatment sample of people experiencing a first psychotic episode in south Cambridgeshire.

Method Current and lifetime substance use was recorded for 123 consecutive referrals to a specialist early intervention service. Substance use was compared with general population prevalence estimates from the British Crime Survey.

Results Substance use among people with first-episode psychosis was twice that of the general population and was more common in men than women. Cannabis abuse was reported in 51% of patients (n=62) and alcohol abuse in 43% (n=53). More than half (n=68, 55%) had used Class A drugs, and 38% (n=43) reported polysubstance abuse. Age at first use of cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamine was significantly associated with age at first psychotic symptom.

Conclusions Substance misuse is present in the majority of people with first-episode psychosis and has major implications for management. The association between age at first substance use and first psychotic symptoms has public health implications.


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