title: First-episode psychosis at the West Bologna Community Mental Health Centre: results of an 8-year prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Research mostly conducted in the UK and northern Europe has established that there are high rates of first-episode psychosis (FEP) in large cities and immigrant populations; moreover, psychosis has been found to be associated with cannabis use and early trauma. The present study aimed to evaluate the incidence rate of FEP and the distribution of several risk factors (e.g. age, ethnicity, substance abuse) in Bologna, Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Bologna FEP (BoFEP) study is an 8-year prospective study. All FEP patients, 18-64 years old, consecutively referred to the West Bologna Community Mental Health Centre (CMHC) from 2002 to 2009 were evaluated. Sociodemographic information, migration history and clinical data were collected through an ad-hoc schedule. Psychiatric diagnoses were recorded using the Schedule for Clinical Assessment of Neuropsychiatry (SCAN).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall incidence rate (IR) in the BoFEP study was 16.4 per 100 000 person-years [95% confidence interval (CI) 13.9-18.9]. The incidence was higher in young people, men and migrants (MI).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The IR of FEP found by the Bologna study is lower than that found by other European studies. However, as in other studies, the incidence was higher in certain groups. This heterogeneity has implications for policy and mental health service development, and for understanding the aetiology of psychosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Italy.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tarricone
authors.affiliation: Public Health Department, Bologna University, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mimmi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paparelli
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panigada
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carchia
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bandieri
authors.affiliation: West Bologna Mental Health Department, AUSL Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Michetti
authors.affiliation: West Bologna Mental Health Department, AUSL Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Minenna
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boydell
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berardi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult