Clinical and social determinants of duration of untreated psychosis in the AESOP first-episode psychosis study.
BACKGROUND
Despite considerable research investigating the relationship between a long duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and outcomes, there has been much less considering predictors of a long DUP.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical and social determinants of DUP in a large sample of patients with a first episode of psychosis.


METHODS
All patients with a first episode of psychosis who made contact with psychiatric services over a 2-year period and were living in defined catchment areas in London and Nottingham, UK were included in the AESOP study. Data relating to clinical and social variables and to DUP were collected from patients, relatives and case notes.


RESULTS
An insidious mode of onset was associated with a substantially longer DUP compared with an acute onset, independent of other factors. Unemployment had a similar, if less strong, effect. Conversely, family involvement in help-seeking was independently associated with a shorter duration. There was weak evidence that durations were longer in London than in Nottingham.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that DUP is influenced both by aspects of the early clinical course and by the social context.
Morgan
Craig
C
Division of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK. spjucrm@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Abdul-Al
Rudwan
R
Lappin
Julia M
JM
Jones
Peter
P
Fearon
Paul
P
Leese
Morven
M
Croudace
Tim
T
Morgan
Kevin
K
Dazzan
Paola
P
Craig
Tom
T
Leff
Julian
J
Murray
Robin
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services; D008875:Middle Aged; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology