Pathways to care: help seeking behaviour in first episode psychosis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the number of attempts it took before patients with a first episode of psychosis received adequate help, the signs or symptoms that led them to seek help and the people from whom they attempted to seek help.


METHODS
Subjects were 86 individuals with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder, mainly schizophrenia, who were attending a comprehensive program for early psychosis treatment.


RESULTS
Help-seeking attempts began in the prodromal phase of the illness and continued into the psychotic phase. Concerning behaviours ranged from more general symptoms to psychotic symptoms. A range of contacts were made early on but emergency services were most often the contact that helped individuals obtain appropriate treatment for psychosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Improved public education and gatekeeper education might reduce the time required for individuals developing a psychosis to receive timely and adequate care.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010821:Physicians, Family; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy