title: Variation in duration of untreated psychosis in an 18-year perspective.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Scandinavian TIPS project engineered an early detection of psychosis programme that sought to reduce the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) through early detection teams and extensive information campaigns since 1997. In 1997-2000, DUP was reduced from 26 to 4.5 weeks median. The programme was continued beyond the initial project in modified forms for over 13 years. The aim of this study was to track the vicissitudes of DUP over an 18-year period (1993-2010) with differing early detection efforts in a defined catchment area.
  
  
  METHODS
  The DUP of all patients meeting criteria for first episode psychosis was measured 1993-1994 and from 1997 to 2010 in a naturalistic long-term study. DUP values of all patients were included, irrespective of patients' participation in a clinical follow-up study, yielding a highly representative sample.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DUP varied across studies with differing information campaign intensity and content. These variations will be described and explored.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early detection campaigns should have a stable focus and high intensity level. Future research should further elucidate pathways to care in order to establish principal targets for information campaigns.
authors.affiliation: Regional Centre for Clinical Research in Psychosis, Division of Psychiatry, Stavanger University Hospital, Norway; Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen.
authors.forename: Wenche
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: ten Velden Hegelstad
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Joa
authors.forename: Helene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Barder
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Evensen
authors.forename: Ulrik
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Haahr
authors.forename: Jan O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Johannessen
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Langeveld
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Melle
authors.forename: Stein
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Opjordsmoen
authors.forename: Jan Ivar
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Røssberg
authors.forename: Bjørn Rishovd
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Rund
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Simonsen
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vaglum
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McGlashan
authors.forename: Svein
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Friis
authors.forename: Tor K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Larsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D016730:Program Development; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: duration of untreated psychosis; early detection; first-episode psychosis