New interactive website for patients with schizophrenia

Schizophrenia24x7.com is a new, interactive website featuring helpful resources, information and interactive tools for people affected by schizophrenia.

The website, developed by Janssen, has already received a stamp of approval from patient focus groups. Ron Peponis of In A Nutshell Communications, a user group which helps to link UK-based organisations and individuals involved in health and social care together through social media, worked with patients to review the Schizophrenia 24x7 website content. He said, "The feedback we received from those involved in reviewing the site has been extremely positive, and we greatly valued their input. After all this is a website for people affected by schizophrenia and we wanted to ensure it was as useful and relevant to them as possible."

Schizophrenia 24x7 includes many practical resources such as a digital patient diary, which allows patients to record their experiences and feelings. This feature is important, as signs of improvement in people with schizophrenia can often be small and happen very gradually, therefore they may be missed. This can lead to poor motivation, as progress is not often recognised. The diary helps patients monitor small changes, and to notice when they are getting better. In addition, it allows patients to follow the relationship between their medication, how they are feeling and daily events in their lives, which shows patients that taking their medication can improve their symptoms.

The talking to your doctor section includes `top tips' for patients and carers about how to have a useful discussion with their doctor about their illness and how they feel. There is also a downloadable questionnaire, which patients can print out and take with them to their next consultation.

Schizophrenia 24x7 also features a patient art gallery, showcasing the creative talents of people who have suffered mental distress, provided by Breakthrough Art, an organisation that promotes positive mental health through the creative arts. The gallery offers a downloadable `wallpaper of the week' as well as a `picture of the month' selected by Angie Russell, Co-Director of Breakthrough Art.