2722 – Training in preventive psychiatry: a survey of early career psychiatrists from 36 countries

Abstract

The practice of early interventions in psychiatry has became one of the most prevalent paradigms in modern psychiatry. In the routine care the dissemination remains frustratingly slow. However, little is known about the characteristics of training curricula. To describe: characteristics of training on prevention and early intervention in psychiatry; organizational and clinical differences of early intervention services in the different countries; trainees’ satisfaction and management of patients with mental disorders. Sixty early career psychiatrists have been invited to participate in the survey, recruited from the early career psychiatrists’ network of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA). Respondents were asked to provide the collective input of their trainees’ associations, and not the individual feedback of any officer of the association. 36 out of 60 invited countries compiled the questionnaire. University training programs in early intervention for mental disorders are provided in 21 out of 36 countries (58%). Half of early career psychiatrists feel completely or enough confident to provide specialistic interventions to patients during early stages or at the onset of the disorder. Fifty-three percent of respondents are not satisfied with training on preventive psychiatry. Early intervention services most frequently available are those for schizophrenia (76%). Informative campaigns on mental disorders are usually conducted in 33 countries (87%). A huge variability exists as regards early intervention training and practice. Further efforts are needed in order to establish training programs according to the educational needs of trainees and early career psychiatrists.