title: Duration of untreated psychosis and ethnicity in the AESOP first-onset psychosis study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a common assumption that Black patients with a psychotic mental illness experience longer treatment delays during a first episode. We sought to investigate this issue in a large cohort of patients with a first episode of psychosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients with a first episode of psychosis presenting to secondary mental health services within tightly defined catchment areas in south-east London and Nottingham over a 2-year period were included in the study. Data relating to duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and clinical and sociodemographic characteristics were collected from patients, relatives and case-notes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no evidence that African-Caribbean or Black African patients experienced longer periods of untreated psychosis than White British patients prior to first contact with services. There was evidence that Black African patients experienced shorter periods of untreated psychosis than White British patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contrary to what is commonly assumed, our study suggests that Black patients with a psychotic mental illness do not experience longer treatment delays prior to first contact with services than White British patients. This suggests that strategies to reduce treatment delays targeted specifically at Black patients will be of limited value.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London, UK. spjucrm@iop.kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fearon
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hutchinson
authors.forename: Kwame
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McKenzie
authors.forename: Julia M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lappin
authors.forename: Rudwan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abdul-Al
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dazzan
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boydell
authors.forename: Glynn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leff
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People / Q000208:ethnology; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013997:Time Factors; D014900:West Indies / Q000208:ethnology; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology