Biography
Professor Saeed Farooq is a clinician scientist with extensive research in public health mental health. He has over 150 papers in international peer reviewed scientific journals. He trained in Psychiatry both in Pakistan and UK. He led the development of academic psychiatry in Northern Pakistan. He trained large number of psychiatrists who are now leading services in the region as well conducted clinical studies in a conflict afflicted area.
Saeed moved to the UK to pursue his research interests and completed his PhD on the impact of Duration of Untreated Psychosis (DUP) in low and middle-income countries. Saeed joined Keele in 2015 and is a member of the Mental Health Research Group. He has produced significant evidence for treating schizophrenia and mental health care in conflict-affected areas. He has been member of the editorial board of number of peer reviewed international journals. He was part of the working group that developed classification of psychotic disorders for International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11).
As a founding member of the South Asian Cochrane Network (SACN), he served on the steering committee of SACN for several years. His work on improving treatment adherence, subtyping schizophrenia based on treatment response and providing care in population affected by trauma and conflict had significant impact on policy and professional practice.
His research interests include improving the outcomes in severe mental illness by using evidence based interventions, physical health in severe mental illness and global mental health. Saeed is passionate about providing evidence-based health care using a public health approach for the disadvantaged communities.
Research and scholarship
Professor Saeed Farooq has led a catalogue of strong interdisciplinary research and has worked closely with the social sciences, psychiatry, and pharmacological sciences. His work includes the effects of fasting during Ramadan on serum Lithium and other biochemical parameters as well as the role of fixed-dose combination products to improve treatment adherence in mental health. Working closely with colleagues in social sciences, Saeed has produced randomised controlled trial based evidence on a psychological intervention (PM+) for conflict-affected areas. The Problem Management Plus (PM+), which is based on cognitive behaviour therapy principles is now adopted by the World Health Organisation. The WHO has produced a manual of the intervention for use in conflict-afflicted communities (http://www.who.int/mental_health/emergencies/problem_management_plus/en/). His research on working through interpreters is widely recognised and he has also developed an on online module for the Royal College of Psychiatrists continuing medical education programme on how to work effectively through interpreters.
In recent years, Saeed has shifted his focus to the treatment of severe mental illness including research on improving physical health outcomes in schizophrenia. He is leading an MRC funded clinical trial in improving treatment adherence for schizophrenia in low and middle-income country settings. Saeed work also involves treatment optimisation in treatment-resistant schizophrenia using large databases and his publications on subtyping schizophrenia based on treatment response are widely recognised.
Teaching
Saeed has been involved in teaching for postgraduate psychiatric education and research methodology. He has led several workshops on research methodology. The workshops on the identification and development of research questions and medical writings have consistently received good feedback. Saeed is the academic secretary to the West Midlands division of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and has successfully organised the division academic meetings twice a year.
Selected Publications
- 2022.
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Patients' and healthcare professionals' perspectives on a community-based intervention for schizophrenia in Pakistan: A focus group study. PLoS One, e0273286, vol. 17(8). link> doi> full text>2022.
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Study protocol for the development and internal validation of Schizophrenia Prediction of Resistance to Treatment (SPIRIT): a clinical tool for predicting risk of treatment resistance to antipsychotics in first-episode schizophrenia. BMJ Open, e056420, vol. 12(4). link> doi> full text>2022.
- 2022.
- 2022.
Full Publications Listshow
Journal Articles
- 2022.
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Patients' and healthcare professionals' perspectives on a community-based intervention for schizophrenia in Pakistan: A focus group study. PLoS One, e0273286, vol. 17(8). link> doi> full text>2022.
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Study protocol for the development and internal validation of Schizophrenia Prediction of Resistance to Treatment (SPIRIT): a clinical tool for predicting risk of treatment resistance to antipsychotics in first-episode schizophrenia. BMJ Open, e056420, vol. 12(4). link> doi> full text>2022.
- 2022.
- 2022.
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An International Adult Guideline for Making Clozapine Titration Safer by Using Six Ancestry-Based Personalized Dosing Titrations, CRP, and Clozapine Levels. Pharmacopsychiatry, 73-86, vol. 55(2). link> doi> full text>2022.
- 2021.
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Pharmacological or non-pharmacological interventions for treatment of common mental disorders associated with Tuberculosis: A systematic review. Chron Respir Dis, 14799731211003937, vol. 18. link> doi> full text>2021.
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Self-reported health and smoking status, and body mass index: a case-control comparison based on GEN SCRIP (GENetics of SChizophRenia In Pakistan) data. BMJ Open, Article ARTN e042331, vol. 11(4). link> doi> full text>2021.
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Switching antipsychotics to support the physical health of people with severe mental illness: a qualitative study of healthcare professionals' perspectives. BMJ Open, e042497, vol. 11(2). link> doi> full text>2021.
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Mandatory certification for clozapine prescribing. Eur Psychiatry, e12, vol. 64(1). link> doi> full text>2020.
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Editorial: Low-Intensity Interventions for Psychiatric Disorders. Front Psychiatry, 619871, vol. 11. link> doi> full text>2020.
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Scarlett Letter: A study based on experience of stigma by COVID-19 patients in quarantine. Pak J Med Sci, 1471-1477, vol. 36(7). link> doi> full text>2020.
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Culturally adapted trauma-focused CBT-based guided self-help (CatCBT GSH) for female victims of domestic violence in Pakistan: feasibility randomized controlled trial. Behav Cogn Psychother, 50-61, vol. 49(1). link> doi> full text>2021.
- 2020.
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Cost-effectiveness of WHO Problem Management Plus for adults with mood and anxiety disorders in a post-conflict area of Pakistan: randomised controlled trial. Br J Psychiatry, 623-629, vol. 217(5). link> doi> full text>2020.
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Supervised treatment in outpatients for schizophrenia plus (STOPS+): protocol for a cluster randomised trial of a community-based intervention to improve treatment adherence and reduce the treatment gap for schizophrenia in Pakistan. BMJ Open, e034709, vol. 10(6). link> doi> full text>2020.
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Pharmacological interventions for prevention of depression in high risk conditions: Systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord, 58-69, vol. 269. link> doi> full text>2020.
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Do Asian Patients Require Only Half of the Clozapine Dose Prescribed for Caucasians? A Critical Overview. Indian J Psychol Med, 4-10, vol. 42(1). link> doi> full text>2020.
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Patterns of symptoms before a diagnosis of first episode psychosis: a latent class analysis of UK primary care electronic health records. BMC Med, 227, vol. 17(1). link> doi> full text>2019.
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Pharmacoepidemiology research: delivering evidence about drug safety and effectiveness in mental health. Lancet Psychiatry, 363-370, vol. 7(4). link> doi> full text>2020.
- 2019.
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Video intervention for the psychiatric waiting room: proof-of-concept randomised controlled trial of RESOLVE (Relaxation Exercise, SOLVing problem and cognitive Errors). BJPsych Open, e77, vol. 5(5). link> doi> full text>2019.
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Acute Myocardial Infarction in Severe Mental Illness: Prevalence, Clinical Outcomes, and Process of Care in U.S. Hospitalizations. Can J Cardiol, 821-830, vol. 35(7). link> doi> full text>2019.
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The reliability and clinical utility of ICD-11 schizoaffective disorder: A field trial. Schizophrenia Research. link> doi> full text>2019.
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Barriers to using clozapine in treatment-resistant schizophrenia: systematic review. BJPsych Bull, 8-16, vol. 43(1). link> doi> full text>2019.
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Sharing information about diagnosis and outcome of first-episode psychosis in patients presenting to early intervention services. Early Interv Psychiatry, 657-666, vol. 13(3). link> doi> full text>2019.
- 1998.
- 1999.
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An investigation of the adequacy of psychiatric interviews conducted through an interpreter. Psychiatric Bulletin, 209-213, vol. 21(4). doi>1997.
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Authors' reply. BJPsych Bulletin, 107, vol. 40(2). doi>2016.
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Community psychiatry in developing countries – a misnomer?. Psychiatric Bulletin, 226-227, vol. 25(6). doi>2001.
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Continuing professional development for psychiatrists in developing countries. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 161-163, vol. 9(3). doi>2003.
- 2009.
- 2001.
- 2001.
- 2008.
- 2011.
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Systematic review into factors associated with the recruitment crisis in psychiatry in the UK: students', trainees' and consultants' views. BJPsych Bulletin, 345-352, vol. 41(6). link> doi> link> full text>2018.
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Working through interpreters. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 104-109, vol. 9(2). doi>2003.
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Different communication strategies for disclosing a diagnosis of schizophrenia and related disorders. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, CD011707, vol. 10(10). link> doi> full text>2017.
- 2017.
- 2017.
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Explanatory model of illness of the patients with schizophrenia and the role of educational intervention. Schizophr Res, 68-73, vol. 190. link> doi> full text>2017.
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Adherence to medication in the community: audit cycle of interventions to improve the assessment of adherence. BJPsych Bull, 41-44, vol. 41(1). link> doi> full text>2017.
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A survey of eMedia-delivered interventions for schizophrenia used in randomized controlled trials. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat, 233-243, vol. 13. link> doi> full text>2017.
- 2017.
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TechCare: mobile assessment and therapy for psychosis - an intervention for clients in the Early Intervention Service: A feasibility study protocol. SAGE Open Medicine, 2050312116669613, vol. 4. link> doi> link> full text>2016.
- 2016.
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Prevalence of nonaffective psychosis in intellectually disabled clients: systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatric Genetics, 145-155, vol. 26(4). link> doi> full text>2016.
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Reporting and understanding the safety and adverse effect profile of mobile apps for psychosocial interventions: An update. World Journal of Psychiatry, 187-191, vol. 6(2). doi> link> full text>2016.
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A global mental health fund for serious mental illness in low-income and middle-income countries. The lancet. Psychiatry, 495-497, vol. 3(6). doi> link> full text>2016.
- 2016.
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Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for psychosis based Guided Self-help (CBTp-GSH) delivered by frontline mental health professionals: Results of a feasibility study. Schizophrenia Research. doi> full text>2016.
- 2016.
- 2016.
- 2016.
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A Qualitative Study to Explore Patients', Carers' and Health Professionals' Views to Culturally Adapt CBT for Psychosis (CBTp) in Pakistan. Behavioural and cognitive psychotherapy, 43-55, vol. 44(1). doi>2016.
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Development, Testing and Reporting of Mobile Apps for Psycho-social Interventions: Lessons from the Pharmaceuticals. JOurnal of Medical Diagnostic Methods. doi> link> full text>2015.
- 2015.
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Requirement of research as a learning tool in medical education - less is more. Journal of Postgraduate Medical Institute, vol. 29(3). link>2015.
- 2015.
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Apps in mental health practice: uses, opportunities and challenges. BJPsych Bulletin, 288-290, vol. 39(6). doi> link> full text>2015.
- 2015.
- 2015.
- 2015.
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Schizophrenia diagnosis and treatment by general practitioners: A cross-sectional study in district Peshawar, Pakistan. J Pak Med Assoc, 937-942, vol. 65(9). link>2015.
- 2015.
- 2015.
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for schizophrenia and related disorders. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. doi>
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Self-help and guided self-help interventions for schizophrenia and related disorders. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. doi>
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Different communication strategies for disclosing a diagnosis of schizophrenia and related disorders. doi>
- 2015.
- 2015.
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Interventions Following Traumatic Event in Children and Adolescents: An Evidence-Based Response. Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 18(269). doi> link> full text>2015.
- 2015.
- 2015.
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Ethical approval for research in developing countries: problems and solutions. Journal of Psychology, 156, vol. 15(2).2014.
- 2015.
- 2014.
- 2014.
- 2014.
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Pharmacological interventions for paranoid personality disorder. doi>
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Pharmacological interventions for schizoid personality disorder. doi>
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Pharmacological interventions for schizotypal personality disorder. doi>
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Early and effective intervention for Serious Mental Illness (SMI) in developing countries. Khyber Medical University Journal.2014.
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Effect of fasting on serum lithium levels: an experimental study in animal models. Pak J Pharm Sci, 33-37, vol. 27(1). link>2014.
- 2013.
- 2013.
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Cognitive behaviour therapy (brief versus standard duration) for schizophrenia. doi>
- 2009.
- 2013.
- 2013.
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Measurement of non-adherence with treatment in research and clinical practice. Journal of Pakistan Psychiatric Society, 1-2, vol. 10(2).2013.
- 2012.
- 2012.
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Is Acute and Transient Psychotic Disorder (ATPD) mini schizophrenia? The evidence from phenomenology and epidemiology. Psychiatria Danubina, 311-315, vol. 24(3). link>2012.
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Catatonia is not all schizophrenia. Journal of Pakistan Psychiatric Society, 1-3, vol. 9(1).2012.
- 2011.
- 2011.
- 2011.
- 2011.
- 2010.
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The language in mental health research and practice. Journal of Pakistan Psychiatric Society, 49, vol. 7(2).2010.
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Interpreter- Mediated Psychiatric interview. The Royal College of Psychiatrist.2010.
- 2009.
- 2010.
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Family functioning among depressive and dissociative (conversion) patients. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak, 300-303, vol. 19(5). link>2009.
- 2009.
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Working with interpreters in developing countries: implications for psychiatric research and training. Journal of Pakistan Psychiatric Society, 1, vol. 6(1). link>2009.
- 2008.
- 2008.
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Recognition of systematic reviews is vital for scientific and clinical practice. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak, 460-462, vol. 18(7). link>2008.
- 2007.
- 2007.
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Cannabis abuse in patients with schizophrenia: pattern and effects on symptomatology. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak, 158-161, vol. 17(3). link>2007.
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Behavior therapy in dissociative convulsions disorder. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak, 359-363, vol. 16(5). link>2006.
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The attitude and perception of hospital doctors about the management of psychiatric disorders. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak, 552-555, vol. 15(9). link>2005.
- 2005.
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Reasons for not acting on suicidal ideas. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak, 37-39, vol. 13(1). link>2003.
- 1995.
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Study protocol for the development and internal validation of SPIRIT (Schizophrenia Prediction of Resistance to Treatment): A clinical tool for predicting risk of treatment resistance to anti-psychotics in First Episode Schizophrenia. arXiv. link> doi> link> full text>
Chapters
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Terror, Trauma and Treatment – An evidence based response. In ‘Wars, Insurgencies and Terrorist Attacks: A Psychosocial Perspective from The Muslim World’. Oxford University Press. link>2010.
Other
- 2021.
- 2020.
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Patterns of Prescribing Clozapine and Other Antipsychotic for Patients with First Episode Psychosis in Early Intervention Teams. EARLY INTERVENTION IN PSYCHIATRY (p. 177, vol. 10). EARLY INTERVENTION IN PSYCHIATRY. link>2016.
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SUBTYPING SCHIZOPHRENIA BY TREATMENT RESPONSE: REFINING CRITERIA. SCHIZOPHRENIA BULLETIN (p. S330, vol. 41). link>2015.
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Is acute and transient psychotic disorder (ATPD) mini schizophrenia? The evidence from phenomenology and epidemiology. Psychiatria Danubina (pp. S311-S315, vol. 24 Suppl 3). Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb. link>2012.
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Effect of fasting during Ramadan on serum lithium level and mental state in bipolar disorder. BIPOLAR DISORDERS (p. 43, vol. 13). link>2011.
- 2009.
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The effect of fasting on serum lithium level and mental state in bipolar affective disorder patients. BIPOLAR DISORDERS (p. 46, vol. 10). link>2008.
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The relationship between GDP and DUP. AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY (p. A102, vol. 42). link>2008.