INTRODUCTION: Knowledge about factors that influence different components of duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) is important for designing interventions to reduce DUP. METHOD: We tested associations between help-seeking and referral components of DUP (DUP-H and DUP-R, respectively) and the following predictor variables: age, gender, ethnicity, living arrangement, pre-morbid adjustment, age at onset of psychosis, diagnosis, level of symptoms, type of first and total number of mental health contacts prior to and after the onset of psychosis in a sample of 98 first-episode psychosis patients (FEP). RESULTS: Longer DUP-HS was significantly associated with earlier age at onset, diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum psychosis and poor pre-morbid adjustment during adolescence. Longer DUP-R was associated with earlier age at onset and first help-seeking contact having been made with a non-medical professional. CONCLUSIONS: Relatively non-malleable patient characteristics are likely to influence delay in help-seeking while more malleable systemic characteristics influence delay associated with referral for specialized treatment.
INTRODUCTION: Knowledge about factors that influence different components of duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) is important for designing interventions to reduce DUP. METHOD: We tested associations between help-seeking and referral components of DUP (DUP-H and DUP-R, respectively) and the following predictor variables: age, gender, ethnicity, living arrangement, pre-morbid adjustment, age at onset of psychosis, diagnosis, level of symptoms, type of first and total number of mental health contacts prior to and after the onset of psychosis in a sample of 98 first-episode psychosispatients (FEP). RESULTS: Longer DUP-HS was significantly associated with earlier age at onset, diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum psychosis and poor pre-morbid adjustment during adolescence. Longer DUP-R was associated with earlier age at onset and first help-seeking contact having been made with a non-medical professional. CONCLUSIONS: Relatively non-malleable patient characteristics are likely to influence delay in help-seeking while more malleable systemic characteristics influence delay associated with referral for specialized treatment.
Authors: Kelly K Anderson; Rebecca Fuhrer; Willy Wynant; Michal Abrahamowicz; David L Buckeridge; Ashok Malla Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2013-02-21 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Amresh K Shrivastava; Megan E Johnston; Larry Stitt; Meghana Thakar; Gopa Sakel; Sunita Iyer; Nilesh Shah; Yves Bureau Journal: Ann Gen Psychiatry Date: 2012-07-24 Impact factor: 3.455