The epidemiology of psychosis in Luton.
BACKGROUND
There is a dearth of epidemiological research on psychosis. Little is known about how psychosis rates vary within contrasting urban areas. Variation in rates would have implications for the aetiology of psychosis. The aim was to determine the variation in psychosis prevalence in different areas of a city.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective audit of the caseloads of the four Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) in Luton. Caseloads were categorised by diagnoses recorded in the medical notes, and by patient age. We performed a descriptive analysis of the levels of psychosis in each CMHT, considered against parameters including deprivation and ethnicity as recorded in the 2001 UK census.


RESULTS
Areas with high indices of deprivation, and a large ethnic minority and migrant population, demonstrated higher rates of psychosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings are consistent with, the MRC Aetiology & Ethnicity of Schizophrenia & Other Psychoses study. Increased rates of psychosis observed in areas with large migrant and ethnic minority populations, and in areas of high deprivation, have implications for the planning of local services, and in further understanding the role of environmental factors in the aetiology of psychosis. There is a need for further prospective epidemiological studies at this geographical scale.
Agius
Mark
M
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, BLPT, UK. ma393@cam.ac.uk
Ward
Caleb
C
D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004739:England; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011610:Psychosocial Deprivation; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*