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Pathways to care: help seeking behaviour in first episode psychosis
Author(s) -
Addington J.,
Van Mastrigt S.,
Hutchinson J.,
Addington D.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0447.2002.02004.x
Subject(s) - psychosis , psychiatry , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , help seeking , psychology , prodrome , early psychosis , medicine , clinical psychology , mental health
Objective: To determine the number of attempts it took before patients with a first episode of psychosis received adequate help, the signs or symptoms that led them to seek help and the people from whom they attempted to seek help. Method: Subjects were 86 individuals with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder, mainly schizophrenia, who were attending a comprehensive program for early psychosis treatment. Results: Help‐seeking attempts began in the prodromal phase of the illness and continued into the psychotic phase. Concerning behaviours ranged from more general symptoms to psychotic symptoms. A range of contacts were made early on but emergency services were most often the contact that helped individuals obtain appropriate treatment for psychosis. Conclusion: Improved public education and gatekeeper education might reduce the time required for individuals developing a psychosis to receive timely and adequate care.