Shorter Duration Of Untreated Illness Research Articles

Exploring parenthood in first episode of psychosis: the potential role of the offspring in the outcome of women.

The study aimed to explore the role of parenthood at first episode of psychosis (FEP) on recovery, with a focus on potential sex differences. Sociodemographic, clinical, and neurocognitive information was considered on 610 FEP patients form the PAFIP cohort (Spain). Baseline and three-year follow-up comparisons were carried out. Chi-square tests and ANCOVA analysis were performed controlling for the effect of age and years of education. Men comprised 57.54% of the sample, with only 5.41% having offspring when compared to 36.29% of women. Parenthood was related to shorter duration of untreated illness (DUI) in women with children (12.08months mothers vs. 27.61months no mothers), showing mothers better premorbid adjustment as well. Childless men presented the worst premorbid adjustment and the highest cannabis and tobacco consumption rates. Mothers presented better global cognitive function, particularly in attention, motor dexterity and executive function at three-year follow-up. Diminished parental rates among FEP men could be suggested as a consequence of a younger age of illness onset. Sex roles in caregiving may explain the potential role of parenthood on premorbid phase, with a better and heathier profile, and a more favorable long-term outcome in women. These characteristics may be relevant when adjusting treatment specific needs in men and women with and without offspring.

Longitudinal evaluation on negative symptoms in young people at Ultra-High Risk (UHR) of psychosis: results from a 2-year follow-up study in a real-world care setting.

Negative Symptoms (NS) severely affect real-world functioning also in young people at UHR for developing psychosis. However, longitudinal research on beneficial effects of specialized treatments for NS in UHR people is still relatively scarce and inconclusive, especially in real-world care settings. The aims of the present research were: (1) to evaluate the longitudinal stability of NS levels in young UHR subjects treated within a specialized "Early Intervention in Psychosis" (EIP) program across a 2-year follow-up period, and (2) to investigate any relevant association of NS changes with the specific treatment components offered within the EIP program. One hundred UHR individuals (aged 12-25years) completed the Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to examine significant associations between longitudinal changes in NS severity levels and the EIP treatment components. Across the follow-up, a significant decrease in NS clinical severity was observed. This reduction was associated with the intensity of individual psychotherapy sessions provided in the first year of treatment, a shorter duration of untreated illness at entry and the 2-year longitudinal decrease in positive symptom levels. In conclusion, NS are relevant in UHR people, but decrease over time together with the delivery of specialized EIP interventions. Specifically, our results showed that individual psychotherapy may reduce the clinical severity of NS at least during the first year of treatment.

Correlates of long duration of untreated illness (DUI) in patients with bipolar disorder: results of an observational study

BackgroundDespite a high number of studies investigating the correlation between long Duration of Untreated Illness (DUI) and poor course of Bipolar Disorder (BD), the results concerning the impact of DUI on some specific factors, such as suicidality and medical comorbidities, are still inconsistent. This cross-sectional observational study aimed at analyzing potential socio-demographic and clinical correlates of long DUI in a large cohort of real-world, well-characterized BD patients.MethodsThe socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of 897 patients with BD were collected. The sample was divided for analysis in two groups (short DUI vs long DUI) according to a DUI cutoff of 2 years. Comparisons were performed using χ2 tests for categorical variables and the Kruskal–Wallis test for continuous variables. Logistic regression (LogReg) was used to identify explanatory variables associated with DUI (dependent variable).ResultsSix-hundred and sixty patients (75.5%) presented long DUI (> 2 years) and mean DUI was 15.7 years. The LogReg analysis confirmed the association of long DUI with bipolar II disorder (p: 0.016), lower age at onset (p < 0.001), depressive predominant polarity (p: 0.018), depressive polarity onset (p < 0.001), longer duration of illness (p < 0.001), lifetime suicide attempts (p: 0.045) and current medical comorbidities (p: 0.019).ConclusionsThe present study confirms the association between long DUI and higher risk of suicide attempts in patients with BD. Moreover, an association between long DUI and higher rates of medical conditions has been found.

Medical status of outpatients with obsessive-compulsive disorder in psychiatric department and its influencing factors.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic and refractory mental disorder with early onset, low response rate, and poor prognosis. Studies have shown that the age of onset, severity, course of disease, and untreated course of disease may affect its clinical efficacy. At present, there are few studies on the duration of untreated illness (DUI) of OCD patients. The current medical status and untreated course of OCD patients in China are still unclear. This study aims to investigate the current medical status of OCD patients in psychiatric outpatients of a general hospital, including the course of disease and DUI as well as its influencing factors. A total of 310 outpatients with OCD who visited the Department of Mental Health, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital for the first time, were recruited and interviewed. The information including age, gender, years of education, marital status, work status, age of onset, comorbid mental disorders, age of first treatment, course of disease, and DUI were collected. We also calculated the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and Global Assessment Function (GAF) scores for total sample to analyze the demographic characteristics and clinical data of patients with OCT. The median DUI was used as the cut-off value, and the patients were divided into a short DUI group and a long DUI group. The differences in demographic characteristics and clinical data between the 2 groups were compared, and the factors affecting the DUI were analyzed. There were 158 males (51%) and 152 females (49%). The age of onset was (19.48±7.97) years. The years of education were 13.49±3.13; 215 (69.4%) were single and 95 (30.6%) were married; 103 (33.2%) were employed and 207 (66.8%) were unemployed. The median course of OCD was 4 years and the median DUI was 3 years. There were 177 cases in the short DUI (≤3 years) group and 133 cases in the long DUI (>3 years) group. Compared with the long DUI group, the patients in the short DUI group were younger (P<0.01); they had mild obsessive-compulsive symptoms (P<0.05) and a shorter education period and course of disease (P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively); and they were more unemployed and single (both P<0.001). Correlation analysis showed that DUI was positively correlated with age, course of disease, years of education, and Y-BOCS score (r=0.45, P<0.001; r=0.74, P<0.001; r=0.27, P<0.001; r=0.17, P<0.01). When the DUI of OCD patients was used as the dependent variable, Y-BOCS, age, course of disease, whether to work, marital status, and years of education were used as the independent variables for binary logistic regression analysis, which showed that the duration of illness could predict the short and long DUI of OCD [Wald χ2=49.78, Exp(B)=1.34, P<0.001]. Investigation for the medical status of OCD patients in the psychiatric outpatients of a general hospital in Guangdong, China shows that the duration of illness of OCD patients in the psychiatric outpatients and the DUI of OCD patients are generally shorter than previous foreign reports. The DUI of OCD patients is affected by the course of disease, age, severity of symptoms, and other factors. In the future, large sample, multi-center, and follow-up studies could be considered to further explore the influencing factors for the DUI of OCD and the impact on the prognosis of the disease, to help improve the status of delayed treatment for OCD and improve the effective rate of OCD treatment.

What can lifestyle factors tell us about cognitive dysfunction in bipolar disorder?

Affective disorders represent psychopathological entities lying on a continuum, characterized by high prevalence and functional impairment. A delay in treatment initiation might increase the burden associated with affective spectrum disorders. The present study was aimed at analyzing the correlates of a long duration of untreated illness (DUI) in these conditions. We recruited subjects diagnosed with affective disorders, both in- and outpatients, and collected information concerning socio-demographic, clinical, and psychopathological characteristics. Long DUI was defined according to previous research criteria as >2 years for Bipolar Disorders or >1 year for Depressive Disorders. Bivariate analyses were performed to compare subjects with a long and short DUI (p<0.05). A logistic regression was operated to evaluate the correlates of long DUI. In the present sample (n=135), 34.1% (n=46) subjects showed a long DUI. This subgroup presented with more physical comorbidities (p=0.003), higher body mass index (BMI) (p<0.001), more frequent anxiety onset (p=0.018), younger onset age (p=0.042), and more severe depressive symptoms (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale item 1-depressed mood (p=0.032) and item 2-guilt feelings (p=0.018)). At the logistic regression, higher severity of depressed mood (OR 1.568), higher BMI (OR 1.264), and younger age at onset (OR 0.935) were associated with long DUI. The present study confirmed a possible role of DUI as a construct underpinning higher clinical severity in affective spectrum disorders, possibly linked to worse illness course and unfavorable outcomes. Intervention strategies targeting physical comorbidities and depressive symptoms severity may decrease disease burden in subjects with a long DUI.

Clinical and psychopathological correlates of duration of untreated illness (DUI) in affective spectrum disorders

Affective disorders represent psychopathological entities lying on a continuum, characterized by high prevalence and functional impairment. A delay in treatment initiation might increase the burden associated with affective spectrum disorders. The present study was aimed at analyzing the correlates of a long duration of untreated illness (DUI) in these conditions. We recruited subjects diagnosed with affective disorders, both in- and outpatients, and collected information concerning socio-demographic, clinical, and psychopathological characteristics. Long DUI was defined according to previous research criteria as >2 years for Bipolar Disorders or >1 year for Depressive Disorders. Bivariate analyses were performed to compare subjects with a long and short DUI (p<0.05). A logistic regression was operated to evaluate the correlates of long DUI. In the present sample (n=135), 34.1% (n=46) subjects showed a long DUI. This subgroup presented with more physical comorbidities (p=0.003), higher body mass index (BMI) (p<0.001), more frequent anxiety onset (p=0.018), younger onset age (p=0.042), and more severe depressive symptoms (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale item 1-depressed mood (p=0.032) and item 2-guilt feelings (p=0.018)). At the logistic regression, higher severity of depressed mood (OR 1.568), higher BMI (OR 1.264), and younger age at onset (OR 0.935) were associated with long DUI. The present study confirmed a possible role of DUI as a construct underpinning higher clinical severity in affective spectrum disorders, possibly linked to worse illness course and unfavorable outcomes. Intervention strategies targeting physical comorbidities and depressive symptoms severity may decrease disease burden in subjects with a long DUI.

Bipolar disorders and suicide: stumbling twice with the same stone?

IntroductionSuicide is the most terrible outcome of bipolar disorders (BD). It impacts families and healthcare professionals deeply. Family history of suicide (FHS) is one of its main risk factors, whereas lithium treatment and absence of substance use disorders (SUD) are two of its few modifiable protective factors.ObjectivesTo explore the relationship between FHS and clinical characteristics in BD. We hypothesized that FHS would be associated with less SUD, higher rates of lithium treatment and shorter duration of untreated illness (DUI).MethodsCross-sectional analysis of subjects with BD followed-up in a specialised outpatient unit (Barcelona, October’08-March’18). We described data with measures of frequency, central tendency and dispersion, and we used χ², Fisher’s test and t-tests for comparisons.ResultsThe sample consisted of 83 subjects, 56.6% males, mean age 41.9 years (SD 12.7). 74.7% (n=62) had a diagnosis of BD-I and 25.3% (n=21) of BD-II. 11 subjects (13.3%) had FHS. Those with FHS did not show significant differences in sociodemographic data, DUI (58.5+/-60.4 vs 38.19+/-84.9 months, p=0.341), lithium use (72.7% vs 73.6%, p=0.95) or SUD (27.3% vs 23.6%, p=0.79). There were differences in terms of lifetime suicide attempts (54.5% vs 20.8%, p=0.026), family history of mental disorders (100% vs 69.4%, n=0.032).ConclusionsContrary to our hypothesis, FHS was not associated with the modifiable protective factors against suicide (namely, less SUD and more lithium prescription). Similarly, we did not find an association with earlier access to mental health services at symptom onset (DUP as proxy). Therefore, our results suggest FHS does not modify attitudes towards prevention.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Predictors for 12-month long-term outcome in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: The influence of duration of untreated illness and age at onset

BackgroundIt remains unknown whether the duration of untreated illness (DUI) may play a critical role in clinical improvement of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Using a relatively large sample of subjects with OCD, this study investigated the potential impact of the DUI on patients’ clinical course and long-term treatment response. MethodsTwo hundred and seven patients with OCD recruited by the OCD outpatient clinic of our university hospital participated in the study. The sample was divided into two groups according to the median DUI (DUI≤3 years and DUI >3 years). Patients were treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or venlafaxine for 48 weeks in open-label conditions. Treatment response and other clinical variables were analysed. ResultsThe total sample showed a mean (SD) DUI of 4.07 (3.5) years, and the mean (SD) illness duration was 6.27 (6.5) years. More than half of the patients had not been treated before (56.5% for OCD). With a median of 3 years as cutoff DUI, response rates were found to be significantly higher in subjects with a short DUI (p < 0.001). Regression analyses showed that a short (≤3 years) DUI and later age at onset predicted better response and higher Y-BOCS scores percentage changes at the endpoint of 48 weeks (β = −1.11, p = 0.003). In addition, there was no correlation between DUI and age of onset in the total patients (r = −0.13, p＞0.05). ConclusionsThis preliminary study suggests associations between a shorter duration of untreated OCD and favourable long-term outcomes, and a longer DUI with a worse clinical course.

Duration of untreated illness and bipolar disorder: time for a new definition? Results from a cross-sectional study

BackgroundWe primarily aimed to explore the associations between duration of untreated illness (DUI), treatment response, and functioning in a cohort of patients with bipolar disorder (BD). Methods261 participants with BD were recruited. DUI was defined as months from the first affective episode to the start of a mood-stabilizer. The functioning assessment short test (FAST) scores and treatment response scores for lithium, valproate, or lamotrigine according to the Alda Scale Total Score (TS) were compared between patients with short (<24 months) or long DUI. Differences in FAST scores among good (GR; TS≥7), poor (PR; TS=2-6), or non-responders (NR; TS<2) to each mood-stabilizer were analyzed. Linear regression was computed using the FAST global score as the dependent variable. ResultsDUI and FAST scores showed no statistically significant correlation. Patients with a longer DUI showed poorer response to lithium (Z=-3.196; p<0.001), but not to valproate or lamotrigine. Response to lithium (β=-1.814; p<0.001), number of hospitalizations (β=0.237; p<0.001), and illness duration (β=0.160; p=0.028) were associated with FAST total scores. GR to lithium was associated with better global functioning compared to PR or NR [H=27.631; p<0.001]. LimitationsThe retrospective design could expose our data to a recall bias. Also, only few patients were on valproate or lamotrigine treatment. ConclusionsPoor functioning in BD could be the result of multiple affective relapses, rather than a direct effect of DUI. A timely diagnosis with subsequent effective prophylactic treatment, such as lithium, may prevent poor functional outcomes in real-world patients with BD.

Antidepressants in Bipolar II Depression: Yes and no

This study systematically compared duration of untreated illness (DUI) with duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) in prediction of impairment at first-episode psychosis and investigated the extent to which these relationships are influenced by premorbid features. The Cavan-Monaghan First Episode Psychosis Study ascertained cases of first-episode psychosis in rural Ireland via all routes to care with limited variations in socioeconomic milieu. Cases were evaluated for DUI and DUP and assessed clinically for psychopathology, neuropsychology, neurology, insight and quality of life, together with premorbid features. Analyses then determined prediction of clinical assessments by DUI versus DUP. The study population consisted of 163 cases of first episode psychosis, among which 74 had a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Shorter DUI but not DUP predicted less severe positive and general symptoms, while shorter DUP and particularly DUI predicted less severe negative symptoms; neither shorter DUP nor shorter DUI predicted less severe cognitive impairment or fewer neurological soft signs; shorter DUP and DUI predicted increased quality of life; shorter DUI but not DUP predicted greater insight. Only prediction of quality of life was weakened by consideration of premorbid features. Results were generally similar across the two diagnostic groupings. The present findings systematically delineate associations with DUI versus DUP across domains of impairment in first episode psychosis. They suggest that DUI may reflect a more insidious process than DUP and that reduction in DUI may be associated with more consistent and broader diminutions in impairment than for DUP.

Comorbidities, Depression Severity, and Circadian Rhythms Disturbances as Clinical Correlates of Duration of Untreated Illness in Affective Disorders.

Background and Objectives: Affective disorders, namely bipolar (BDs) and depressive disorders (DDs) are characterized by high prevalence and functional impairment. From a dimensional point of view, BDs and DDs can be considered as psychopathological entities lying on a continuum. A delay in treatment initiation might increase the burden associated with affective disorders. The aim of this study is to analyze the correlates of a long duration of untreated illness (DUI) in these conditions. Materials and Methods: Subjects with BDs and DDs, both in- and outpatients, were recruited. Long DUI was defined according to previous research criteria as >2 years for BDs or >1 year for DDs. Socio-demographic, clinical and psychopathological characteristics of the recruited subjects were collected. Bivariate analyses were performed to compare subjects with a long and short DUI (p < 0.05). Results: In our sample (n = 61), 34.4% of subjects presented a long DUI. A long DUI was significantly associated with longer overall illness duration (p = 0.022) and a higher rate of psychiatric (p = 0.048) and physical comorbidities (p = 0.023). As for psychopathological features, depressive symptoms were more severe in the long DUI subgroup, as demonstrated by a higher score at the Clinical Global Impression-severity of depression (p = 0.012) item and at the anxiety/depression factor of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (p = 0.041). Furthermore, subjects with a long DUI displayed more severe disruption of circadian rhythms, as evaluated by the Biological Rhythms Interview for Assessment in Neuropsychiatry total (p = 0.044) and social domain (p = 0.005) scores and by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale diurnal variation items (18a: p = 0.029, 18b: p = 0.047). Conclusions: A long DUI may underpin higher clinical severity, as well as worse illness course and unfavorable prognosis in affective disorders. Intervention strategies targeting comorbidities, depressive symptoms and circadian rhythms may decrease disease burden in subjects with a long DUI.

Systematic comparison of duration of untreated illness versus duration of untreated psychosis in relation to psychopathology and dysfunction in the Cavan-Monaghan first episode psychosis study (CAMFEPS)

This study systematically compared duration of untreated illness (DUI) with duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) in prediction of impairment at first-episode psychosis and investigated the extent to which these relationships are influenced by premorbid features. The Cavan-Monaghan First Episode Psychosis Study ascertained cases of first-episode psychosis in rural Ireland via all routes to care with limited variations in socioeconomic milieu. Cases were evaluated for DUI and DUP and assessed clinically for psychopathology, neuropsychology, neurology, insight and quality of life, together with premorbid features. Analyses then determined prediction of clinical assessments by DUI versus DUP. The study population consisted of 163 cases of first episode psychosis, among which 74 had a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Shorter DUI but not DUP predicted less severe positive and general symptoms, while shorter DUP and particularly DUI predicted less severe negative symptoms; neither shorter DUP nor shorter DUI predicted less severe cognitive impairment or fewer neurological soft signs; shorter DUP and DUI predicted increased quality of life; shorter DUI but not DUP predicted greater insight. Only prediction of quality of life was weakened by consideration of premorbid features. Results were generally similar across the two diagnostic groupings. The present findings systematically delineate associations with DUI versus DUP across domains of impairment in first episode psychosis. They suggest that DUI may reflect a more insidious process than DUP and that reduction in DUI may be associated with more consistent and broader diminutions in impairment than for DUP.

T31. TIME TO TALK MENTAL HEALTH IN DUBAI: DESCRIBING A SAMPLE OF ADOLESCENT HELP-SEEKERS ACCESSING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

BackgroundMost mental health disorders begin to develop in adolescence and early adulthood. These disorders account for a significant portion of hospitalization and other societal costs. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a rapidly growing population, one-third of which is below 25 years of age. The UAE government has pointed at mental health as one of the areas requiring attention and has approved a strategic plan supporting mental health research, education and promotion with a specific focus on youth (Dubai Mental Health Strategy 2021). The current study represents the first investigation aimed at characterizing youth who access mental health services in the UAE (specifically Dubai).MethodsData was collected retrospectively from child psychiatry case records of inpatients who accessed the Mental Health Clinic at Rashid Hospital between 2011–2016. Patients who received a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar and related disorders, depressive disorders or anxiety disorders were included. From patients’ records, information collected included demographics, life stressors (related to family, friends, health, academic performance, or religion), duration of untreated illness (DUI), family history of mental illness, parents’ age and education, main diagnosis, presence/absence of psychotic features. Demographic information and family history had been acquired from patients and family members at the time of intake.ResultsThe final sample (N=99; Age 12–19) included 47.5% local (UAE national) and 52.5% non-local patients. The frequency of life stressors did not differ across ethnic groups except for relationships with friends, which were less likely to be reported as a source of stress among UAE nationals (χ2=4.35; p=0.04) compared to other nationalities. Suicidal thoughts were less common in patients with psychotic features compared to patients without psychotic features (χ2=4.64; p=0.03). A diagnosis of Depression was more common in females than males (χ2=3.93; p<.05) and was associated with more frequent suicidal thoughts (χ2=23.81; p<0.001) and self-harm behavior (χ2=16.20; p<0.001). Separate ANOVAs were conducted to explore the effect of different variables on DUI: results showed that presence of Psychotic features was associated with shorter DUI (F (1,55) =4.37; p<0.05) while Self-harm was associated with longer DUI (F (1,70) =5.82; p<0.05).DiscussionTo our knowledge, this is the first study attempting to describe youth who access mental health services in the urban multi-cultural context of Dubai. A number of interesting findings were highlighted. Relationships with friends were more likely to represent a source of stress for non-local than local patients, suggesting a possible role of adjustment and social stress in migrant/expatriate youth. Suicidal thoughts were more common in patients diagnosed with depressive disorders (somewhat expected) but less common in patients presenting psychotic features. Patients experiencing psychotic symptoms were accessing mental health services sooner (shorter DUI) compared to patients who did not experience psychotic symptoms, in line with previous literature. Interestingly, patients reporting self-harm behaviors had longer DUI. Several interpretations can be proposed, for example, it is possible that self-harm represented a copying strategy to temporarily “handle” mental illness and delay help seeking in our sample. Studies in support of this and alternative explanations will be discussed. Taken together, our study can be a useful start point to open prevention-focused mental health discussions in the UAE and lead to improved national policies to promote youth wellbeing in the region.

Examining Patterns of Polypharmacy in Bipolar Disorder: Findings from the REAP-BD, Korea.

Based on Korean data from the Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription Pattern for Bipolar Disorder, this study tried to present prescription patterns in biopolar disorder (BD) and its associated clinical features. Based on the information obtained from the study with structured questions, the tendency of prescription pattern was studied and analyzed. Polypharmacy was predominant, including simple polypharmacy in 51.1% and complex polypharmacy in 34.2% of patients. Subjects associated with simple or complex polypharmacy were significantly younger, had higher inpatient settings, a larger portion of onset with manic episode, a shorter duration of untreated illness, a shorter duration of current episode, were more overweight, used less antidepressants and used more anxiolytics. These findings can suggest higher polypharmacy rate in more severe BD and highlight the necessity of monitoring the weight of subjects with polypharmacy.

Duration of untreated illness in a cross-diagnostic sample of obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder.

In this study, we compared duration of untreated illness (DUI) in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder (PD), and social anxiety disorder (SAD) patients and investigated its correlates, both within specific diagnoses and across the whole sample. Eighty-eight patients (33 OCD, 24 SAD, and 31 PD) had their diagnosis confirmed by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, were assessed for treatment-seeking variables, and were evaluated with instruments aimed at quantifying transdiagnostic features (i.e., the Cause subscale of the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Mental Health and the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-Revised) and severity of illness (i.e., Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories, the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale, and the Social Phobia Inventory). The only differences between groups with short (<2 years) versus long (>2 years) DUI were greater fear of public display of anxiety in the first group and greater social avoidance in the second group. The DUI was significantly different between groups that sought treatment after the onset of illness, with OCD patients having longer DUI than PD patients and shorter DUI than SAD patients. Further, DUI correlated negatively with the perception of OCD being caused by stress and positively with severity of panic-related disability in SAD patients, but not in PD or OCD patients. There was substantial delay in treatment seeking among the anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder patients, particularly those with OCD or SAD. Perception of stress as a cause of OCD prompted treatment seeking, while severity of panic symptoms delayed treatment seeking.

Pathways to care among psychiatric outpatients in a tertiary mental health institution in Singapore.

Background:Pathways to care studies in Singapore are of high interest given the cultural diversity and various sources of help available for those with mental illnesses, ranging from the more traditional to tertiary-level mental health care services.Aim:The current study aimed to explore the associations of patients’ socio-demographic characteristics with pathways to first contact and duration of untreated mental illness.Method:A total of 402 participants were recruited through convenience sampling. A pathway to care form was used to gather systematic information about the sources of care utilized by participants before approaching a mental health professional. Data were analysed using multinomial logistic regression and multiple linear regression models to assess the associations.Results:Majority of participants reported primary care (36.0%) as their first point of contact, followed by non-formal sources of help (33.8%), specialist care (21.8%), police/court (4.0%), websites/media (3.3%) and religious/traditional treatment (1.3%). Those belonging to Malay and Indian ethnicity (vs Chinese) were more likely to make first contact with non-formal sources of help than primary care. Those who received a diagnosis of any mood or anxiety disorder (vs schizophrenia and related psychoses) were less likely to make first contact with specialist care or non-formal sources of help than primary care. Those who were separated/divorced/widowed were significantly associated with higher duration of untreated illness compared to those who were single. Participants whose family/relative initiated the first contact were significantly associated with a shorter duration of untreated illness compared to those who initiated first contact on their own.Conclusion:Findings suggest the determinants of the pathways to first contact and duration of untreated illness included diagnosis, ethnicity, marital status and family initiating the first contact. The pathways adopted by these participants need to be kept in mind for planning mental health programmes.

DURATION OF UNTREATED ILLNESS IN A CROSS-DIAGNOSTIC SAMPLE OF OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER, PANIC DISORDER, AND SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER

Background The factors that facilitate or delay treatment seeking by anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients remain relatively understudied. Besides disorder-specific characteristics, such as severity of different OCD symptoms, there are a few additional cross-diagnostic features that may shorten (e.g. Anxiety Sensitivity) or retard (e.g. Illness Perception) treatment seeking in anxiety and OCD (AOCD) patients, but have not been explored. In this study, we compared duration of untreated illness (DUI) in OCD, Panic Disorder (PD) and Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) patients and investigated its correlates, both within specific diagnosis and across the whole sample. Methods Eighty eight patients attending an anxiety disorders clinic (33 OCD, 24 SAD and 31 PD) had their diagnosis confirmed by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), were assessed for treatment seeking variables, and were evaluated with a series of instruments aimed at quantifying trans diagnostic features (i.e. The “Cause” Scale of the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Mental Health and the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-Revised) and severity of illness, including the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories, the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale, and the Social Phobia Inventory. Results The only differences between groups with short ( 2 years) DUI were greater fear of public display of anxiety in the former (Z=-2.15; p=0.03) and greater social avoidance in the later group (t=2.11; df=68.2; p=0.03). The DUI was significantly different between groups who sought treatment after the onset of illness (chi-square=20.5; df=2; p Conclusion There was usually a substantial delay in treatment seeking among AOCD patients, particularly in subjects with OCD or SAD. Perception of stress as a cause of OCD prompted treatment seeking, while severity of panic symptoms delayed treatment seeking in SAD patients.

Eating psychopathology and psychosocial impairment in patients treated at a Singapore eating disorders treatment programme.

There is limited data on the psychopathology of eating disorders in Singapore. This study: (a) described levels of eating psychopathology and psychosocial impairment among individuals diagnosed with eating disorders at our hospital; and (b) compared the related psychopathology of these patients. Between 1 August 2010 and 31 July 2012, 257 individuals who met the diagnostic criteria for eating disorders completed the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and Clinical Impairment Assessment questionnaire (CIA). A majority of participants were women and of Chinese ethnicity. Diagnoses included anorexia nervosa (AN; 41.6%), bulimia nervosa (BN; 29.6%) and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS; 28.8%). Mean age at presentation was 20.52 ± 7.14 years and mean body mass index was 17.84 ± 4.18 kg/m2. Individuals with AN were significantly younger at presentation and had shorter duration of untreated illness compared to those with BN and EDNOS. There were no significant differences in the CIA scores of the diagnostic groups. Participants with BN scored higher in all subscales of the EDE-Q than those with AN and EDNOS. Our sample scored lower in most subscales of EDE-Q when compared to treatment centres in Sweden, Australia and the United States. Our clinical sample reported lower scores of psychopathology compared to overseas centres. This could be attributed to the higher percentages of BN and EDNOS diagnosed in overseas populations. Individuals with AN showed higher levels of psychopathology in our study compared to patients from the United States.

Italian patients with more recent onset of Major Depressive Disorder have a shorter duration of untreated illness

Previous investigation on the duration of untreated illness (DUI) in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) revealed a different latency to first antidepressant treatment, with adverse consequences in terms of outcome for individuals with a longer DUI. Recent reports, moreover, documented a reduced DUI, as observed with the passage of time, in patients with different psychiatric disorders. Hence, the present study was aimed to assess DUI and related variables in a sample of Italian patients with MDD as well as to investigate potential differences in subjects with onset before and after 2000. An overall sample of 188 patients with MDD was assessed through a specific questionnaire investigating DUI and other variables related to the psychopathological onset and latency to first antidepressant treatment, after dividing them in two different subgroups on the basis of their epoch of onset. The whole sample showed a mean DUI of approximately 4.5years, with patients with more recent onset showing a significantly shorter latency to treatment compared with the other group (27.1±42.6 vs 75.8±105.2months, P<.05). Other significant differences emerged between the two subgroups, in terms of rates of onset-related stressful events and benzodiazepine prescription, respectively, higher and lower in patients with more recent onset. Our findings indicate a significant DUI reduction in MDD patients whose onset occurred after vs before 2000, along with other relevant differences in terms of onset-related correlates and first pharmacotherapy. Further studies with larger samples are warranted to confirm the present findings in Italy and other countries.

Is it still correct to differentiate between early and very early onset psychosis?

ObjectiveIt remains unclear whether very early onset psychosis (VEOP; ≤12years of age) and early onset psychosis (EOP; onset 13–17years of age) are homogeneous in their clinical presentation. We investigated the predictive value of age of psychosis onset for severity, functioning and demographic variation by: 1) comparing groups based on traditional cut-offs for age of psychosis onset, and 2) using receiver operating characteristic (ROC)-curve calculations, without a priori age of onset cut-offs. MethodParticipants were 88 (45 female, 43 male) children and adolescents with a recent onset of psychosis (age range=6.7–17.5years; M=13.74, SD=2.37). ResultsThe VEOP group had significantly shorter duration of untreated illness and untreated psychosis, and lower functioning than the EOP group. The VEOP and EOP groups did not differ significantly on gender proportion, urbanicity, psychotic diagnosis, family history of psychotic disorder, psychotic, depressive and anxiety symptoms or IQ. When applying ROC-curves to the lowest three quartiles of positive psychotic symptoms scores, the optimal age-cut-off was 14.0years (sensitivity=0.62; specificity=0.75). For the highest quartile of functioning scores, the optimal differentiating cut-off for age of psychosis onset was 14.7years (sensitivity=0.71; specificity=0.70). ConclusionsLarger samples of patients, assessed at presentation and followed-up, are necessary to clearly examine clinical presentation and outcome as a function of social and neural development to better understand if the differentiation between VEOP and EOP is justified. This will aid the development of predictive diagnostic tools, more accurate prognosis prediction, and age-tailored therapeutic interventions.