Vocational Rehabilitation in Young Adults With Incident Schizophrenia—A Danish Retrospective Cohort Study

Introduction

The aim of this study was to compare the multidisciplinary vocational intervention, Morpheus, with standard vocational rehabilitation for young adults with incident schizophrenia undergoing the OPUS specialised early intervention programme. The study evaluated whether the type of vocational intervention was related to attachment to the labour market and educational system, outpatient contacts, hospital admissions and psychotropic drug use.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included patients of the OPUS programme in the period from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2019. Patients at Aarhus University Hospital Psychiatry (Aarhus) were offered the Morpheus intervention, while patients at Aalborg University Hospital (Aalborg) received standard vocational rehabilitation. The study used register and clinical data. The analyses involved logistic and linear regression presented as crude and adjusted models.

Results

Of the 404 OPUS patients from Aarhus and 246 OPUS patients from Aalborg, patients participating in the Morpheus intervention (n = 116) were more likely to be employed or enrolled in education 2 and 4 years after diagnosis compared with patients undergoing standard vocational intervention (n = 130). Specifically, the adjusted odds ratio for employment was 1.14 (0.37; 3.45) and 1.51 (0.70; 3.27) at 2 and 4 years, respectively. Morpheus patients were less likely to attend somatic outpatient contacts, which involve consultations or treatment for physical health conditions, as well as psychiatric outpatient contacts. Furthermore, they were less likely to be admitted to somatic departments or to redeem antipsychotic medication. However, Morpheus patients had a higher likelihood of being admitted to psychiatric departments during the periods 0–2 and 2–4 years after diagnosis.

Conclusion

Young adults with incident schizophrenia receiving the Morpheus intervention within the OPUS treatment did not show statistically significant increased odds of employment or education enrolment compared to those in standard vocational rehabilitation.