Migrant background and ethnic minority status as predictors for duration of untreated psychosis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to explore if patients with migration and/or ethnic minority background have longer duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) than patients from the reference population, and in case to what extent this was best explained by ethnic minority status or migration background, including age at migration.


METHODS
Four hundred sixty-two first-episode patients were included. The Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition Axis I Disorders was used for diagnostic purposes. Patients were interviewed about migration history and ethnicity using structured questionnaires.


RESULTS
Being part of an ethnic minority group had a trend-level significance, and migration after the age of 6 had a statistically significant association with prolonged DUP.


CONCLUSIONS
Age at migration has a moderate, but statistically significant effect on DUP. The findings indicate migrating after school start is associated with a longer DUP in immigrant populations.
Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital and Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Oslo, Norway.
Mari
M
Nerhus
Akiah Ottesen
AO
Berg
Marit
M
Haram
Levi Røstad
LR
Kvitland
Ole Andreas
OA
Andreassen
Ingrid
I
Melle
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D061665:Time-to-Treatment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
early diagnosis; health care; immigrants; minority groups; psychosis