title: Predictors of engagement in first-episode psychosis.
abstract: Engagement with psychiatric services is critical for ensuring successful outcomes in patients experiencing a first episode of psychosis (FEP). However, it is not known how sociodemographic factors and patient beliefs about the causes of mental illness affect engagement. This study explored predictors of engagement in a cohort of 103 FEP patients presenting to an early-intervention service. Beliefs that mental illness is caused by social stress or thinking odd thoughts predicted higher engagement scores. Patients with no qualifications were found to have higher engagement scores than those educated to a higher level. Ethnicity, gender, age and socioeconomic factors were not significantly correlated with engagement scores. Duration of untreated illness (DUI) significantly predicted higher engagement scores, but only for values >1220days. Duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) was not a significant predictor of patient engagement scores. Patient beliefs about the causes of mental illness are an important factor to be taken into consideration and may represent a target of interventions to increase engagement in FEP.
authors.affiliation: James Paget University Hospital, Lowestoft Rd., Gorleston NR31 6LA, UK. Electronic address: daniel.a.j.casey@outlook.com.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.affiliation: Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G3 8SJ.
authors.forename: Ruchika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gajwani
authors.affiliation: Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
authors.forename: Zoebia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.affiliation: Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
authors.forename: Rubina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jasani
authors.affiliation: Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.affiliation: Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
authors.forename: Priya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tah
authors.affiliation: Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Birchwood
authors.affiliation: Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
authors.forename: Swaran P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D061665:Time-to-Treatment; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Engagement; Ethnicity; Patient beliefs; Psychosis; Schizophrenia