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Symptom profiles and explanatory models of first‐episode psychosis in African‐, Caribbean‐ and European‐origin groups in Ontario
Author(s) -
Maraj Anika,
Anderson Kelly K.,
Flora Nina,
Ferrari Manuela,
Archie Suzanne,
McKenzie Kwame J.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
early intervention in psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.087
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1751-7893
pISSN - 1751-7885
DOI - 10.1111/eip.12272
Subject(s) - ethnic group , odds , psychosis , psychiatry , odds ratio , white british , demography , mental illness , medicine , mental health , explanatory model , psychology , clinical psychology , logistic regression , sociology , philosophy , epistemology , anthropology
Abstract Aim To assess variability in symptom presentation and explanatory models of psychosis for people from different ethnic groups. Methods Clients with first‐episode psychosis ( n = 171) who identified as black African, black Caribbean or white European were recruited from early intervention programmes in Toronto and Hamilton. We compared results by ethnic group for symptom profiles and explanatory models of illness. Results Clients of black Caribbean origin had a lower odds of reporting that they were speaking incomprehensibly (OR = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.14–0.90) and black African clients had a greater odds of reporting persistent aches or pains (OR = 2.92; 95% CI: 1.32–6.50). Black African clients had a lower odds of attributing the cause of psychosis to hereditary factors (OR = 0.41; 95% CI: 0.19–0.89) or to substance abuse (OR = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.13–0.67) and had a lower odds of assigning responsibility for their illness to themselves (OR = 0.41; 95% CI: 0.19–0.89). Conclusions Understanding the differences in illness models for ethnic minority groups may help improve the cultural competence of mental health services.