Table 2.
Baseline sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the MBPEG, conventional psychoeducation and usual-care groups and the non-participants
| Characteristics | MBPEG (n = 114) | CPEG (n = 114) | TAU (n = 114) | Non-participants (n = 316) | Test valuea | p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gender, n (%) | 1.50 | 0.22 | ||||
| Male | 72 (63.2) | 70 (61.4) | 74 (64.9) | 190 (60.1) | ||
| Female | 42 (36.8) | 44 (38.6) | 40 (35.1) | 126 (39.9) | ||
| Mean age, years (s.d.) | 25.1 (6.8) | 25.8 (7.9) | 26.0 (8.5) | 25.9 (12.8) | 1.92 | 0.11 |
| 18–29, n (%) | 38 (33.3) | 37 (32.5) | 36 (31.6) | 112 (35.4) | ||
| 30–39, n (%) | 44 (38.6) | 42 (36.8) | 48 (42.1) | 110 (34.8) | ||
| 40–49, n (%) | 32 (28.1) | 35 (30.7) | 30 (26.3) | 94 (29.8) | ||
| Education level, n (%) | 1.89 | 0.14 | ||||
| Primary school or below | 26 (22.8) | 28 (24.6) | 23 (20.2) | 80 (25.3) | ||
| Secondary school | 68 (59.7) | 65 (57.0) | 70 (61.4) | 185 (58.6) | ||
| University or above | 20 (17.5) | 21 (18.4) | 21 (18.4) | 51 (16.1) | ||
| Primary diagnosis, n (%) | 1.21 | 0.20 | ||||
| Schizophrenia | 61 (53.5) | 58 (50.9) | 59 (51.8) | 188 (59.5) | ||
| Schizophreniform disorder | 15 (13.2) | 14 (12.3) | 12 (10.5) | 33 (10.4) | ||
| Schizo-affective disorder | 25 (21.9) | 26 (22.8) | 27 (23.7) | 61 (19.3) | ||
| Other psychotic disorders | 13 (11.4) | 16 (14.0) | 16 (14.0) | 34 (10.8) | ||
| Mean monthly household income, HKDb (s.d.) | 15 130 (3781) | 14 075 (4105) | 14 887 (4870) | 17 012 (5976) | 1.90 | 0.12 |
| 5000–10 000, n (%) | 15 (13.2) | 12 (10.5) | 14 (12.3) | 45 (14.2) | ||
| 10 001–15 000, n (%) | 38 (33.3) | 39 (34.2) | 37 (32.5) | 115 (36.4) | ||
| 15 001–25 000, n (%) | 36 (31.6) | 37 (32.5) | 38 (33.3) | 110 (34.8) | ||
| 25 001–35 000, n (%) | 25 (21.9) | 26 (22.8) | 25 (21.9) | 46 (14.6) | ||
| Mean duration of illness, years (s.d., range) | 2.6 (2.1, 0.25–5.0) | 2.5 (1.7, 0.5–4.5) | 2.7 (1.9, 0.5–5.0) | 2.6 (2.4, 0.25–5.0) | 1.95 | 0.15 |
| <1, n (%) | 25 (21.9) | 21 (18.4) | 20 (17.5) | 71 (22.5) | 1.89 | 0.12 |
| 1–2, n (%) | 33 (28.9) | 35 (30.7) | 32 (28.1) | 117 (37.0) | ||
| 2–3, n (%) | 35 (30.7) | 34 (29.8) | 36 (31.6) | 95 (30.1) | ||
| 3–5, n (%) | 21 (18.4) | 24 (21.1) | 26 (22.8) | 63 (19.9) | ||
| Number of family members living with patient, n (%) | ||||||
| 0–1 | 28 (24.6) | 25 (21.9) | 24 (21.1) | 95 (30.1) | 2.01 | 0.10 |
| 2–3 | 58 (50.8) | 55 (48.2) | 59 (51.7) | 175 (55.4) | ||
| 4–5 | 28 (24.6) | 34 (29.8) | 31 (27.2) | 46 (14.6) | ||
| Use of psychiatric services, n (%) | ||||||
| Medical consultation and treatment planning | 113 (99.1) | 114 (100.0) | 113 (100.0) | 313 (99.0) | 1.40 | 0.22 |
| Nursing advice on services and brief education | 70 (61.4) | 62 (54.4) | 68 (59.7) | 201 (63.6) | ||
| Social welfare and financial advices | 70 (61.4) | 66 (57.9) | 69 (60.5) | 210 (66.5) | ||
| Individual/family counselling | 30 (26.3) | 29 (25.4) | 30 (26.3) | 79 (25.0) | ||
| Type of medication, n (%) | ||||||
| Conventional antipsychotics (e.g. haloperidol) | 30 (26.3) | 31 (27.2) | 29 (25.4) | 90 (28.5) | 1.44 | 0.21 |
| Atypical antipsychotics (e.g. risperidone) | 40 (35.1) | 38 (33.3) | 39 (34.2) | 130 (41.1) | ||
| Anti-depressants (e.g. fluoxetine) | 14 (12.3) | 11 (9.7) | 10 (8.8) | 30 (9.5) | ||
| Blended modec | 30 (26.3) | 34 (29.8) | 36 (31.6) | 66 (20.9) | ||
| Dosage of medicationd, n (%) | ||||||
| High | 24 (21.1) | 21 (18.4) | 22 (19.3) | 72 (22.8) | 1.98 | 0.13 |
| Medium | 65 (57.0) | 68 (59.7) | 69 (60.5) | 184 (58.2) | ||
| Low | 25 (21.9) | 25 (21.9) | 23 (20.2) | 60 (19.0) |
MBPEG, Mindfulness-based psychoeducation group; CPEG, conventional psychoeducation group; TAU, treatment as usual; s.d., standard deviation; HKD, Hong Kong dollar; df, degrees of freedom.
An analysis of variance (F test, df = 656) or the Kruskal–Wallis test by ranks (H statistic, df = 3) was used to compare the sociodemographic variables of patients among the three study groups and the non-participants.
US$1 = HK$7.80.
Patients were taking more than one type of psychotropic medication such as the use of either conventional and atypical antipsychotic or atypical antipsychotic together with one anti-depressant.
Dosage levels of neuroleptic/antipsychotic medications were compared with the average dosage of medication taken by the patients in haloperidol-equivalent mean values.