title: Clinical and social determinants of duration of untreated psychosis in the AESOP first-episode psychosis study.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK. spjucrm@iop.kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Rudwan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abdul-Al
authors.forename: Julia M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lappin
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fearon
authors.forename: Morven
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leese
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Croudace
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dazzan
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leff
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: 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