The Singapore Family Physician

Back to issue Vol 36 No. 4 - Primary Care Mental Health

General Practitioners in Mental Health Promotion and Prevention - Psychosis as a Model

Jimmy Lee
The Singapore Family Physician Vol 36 No 4 - Primary Care Mental Health
12 - 14
1 October 2010
0377-5305
With the initiation of the national mental health blueprint in Singapore, emphasis has been placed on early detection and intervention, reduction of stigma, research, as well as to engage the GPs to build up a network of support in the community. In this article, schizophrenia will be used as an example to illustrate how the GP can fit into the blueprint puzzle. Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness with a lifetime prevalence of about 0.7%. The Early Psychosis Intervention Programme (EPIP) was launched in 2001 with the specific goals of raising awareness of early signs and symptoms of psychosis, reducing stigma associated with psychosis, and establishing a network with primary healthcare providers to facilitate timely review of referrals.