Service variation: Anti-psychotic medication
Psychosis treatment is far from standardized - some patients receive a lot of medication, while others receive little or no medication. How do these differences impact on patient outcomes?
About the project
Project period: 2018-2029
Antipsychotic medication is a key part of treating psychotic disorders in Norway. The goal is to reduce symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and severe agitation. While research shows clear positive effects at the group level, the results vary a lot from person to person. Some patients experience strong relief from symptoms, while others benefit less or even get worse.
There is limited knowledge about the long-term use of antipsychotics—for example, who can safely reduce their medication without a high risk of relapse, and what effects and side effects occur with long-term use. There is also little research on alternative treatment strategies, such as managing without antipsychotics, and how that compares to standard care.
By using variation in treatment practices as a kind of natural experiment, this project can explore which approaches lead to the best outcomes for patients. This is especially valuable because traditional randomised controlled trials are often unrealistic due to ethical and practical challenges.
The project is financed by the Reaseach Council of Norway - HELSEVEL - Gode og effektive helse-, omsorgs- og velferdstjenester - #326407
Ethics approval: REK #2017/2436