AIM: This is the first study on the duration of untreated psychosis and pathways to care among patients with first-episode psychosis in Iran as a developing country. METHODS: Ninety-one patients with a first episode of non-organic psychosis admitted to a university-affiliated psychiatric hospital in Iran were assessed for duration of untreated psychosis (DUP), pathways to care and mode of onset. RESULTS: Median DUP was 11 weeks (mean = 52.3 weeks). Following the onset of psychosis, most patients were first seen by a psychiatrist (n = 23, 25.3%), a traditional healer (n = 21, 23.1%) or a general practitioner (n = 16, 17.6%). Most referrals to the psychiatric hospital were made by the family (n = 30, 33.1%), or health professionals (n = 29, 31.9%). Acute onset and rural place of residence were associated with shorter DUP in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Median DUP was not long in an inpatient sample with first-episode psychosis, which may be due to the preponderance of affective and acute psychoses in this sample and some help-seeking or service variables.
AIM: This is the first study on the duration of untreated psychosis and pathways to care among patients with first-episode psychosis in Iran as a developing country. METHODS: Ninety-one patients with a first episode of non-organic psychosis admitted to a university-affiliated psychiatric hospital in Iran were assessed for duration of untreated psychosis (DUP), pathways to care and mode of onset. RESULTS: Median DUP was 11 weeks (mean = 52.3 weeks). Following the onset of psychosis, most patients were first seen by a psychiatrist (n = 23, 25.3%), a traditional healer (n = 21, 23.1%) or a general practitioner (n = 16, 17.6%). Most referrals to the psychiatric hospital were made by the family (n = 30, 33.1%), or health professionals (n = 29, 31.9%). Acute onset and rural place of residence were associated with shorter DUP in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Median DUP was not long in an inpatient sample with first-episode psychosis, which may be due to the preponderance of affective and acute psychoses in this sample and some help-seeking or service variables.
Authors: Atipatsa C Kaminga; Japhet Myaba; Wenjie Dai; Aizhong Liu; Harris K Chilale; Paul F Kubwalo; Precious Madula; Richard Banda; Xiongfeng Pan; Shi W Wen Journal: Early Interv Psychiatry Date: 2019-10-27 Impact factor: 2.732