Demographic and clinical characteristics of diagnosed and non-diagnosed psychotic disorders in the community
Publisher DOI
PubMed ID
27556574
Abstract
Aim
Retrospective studies of first-episode psychosis patients have reported that psychosis often remains untreated for some time. Yet, from clinical samples, the characteristics and number of non-diagnosed untreated psychosis patients in a community can only be estimated. Thus, this short report compares socio-demographic and clinical features of diagnosed and non-diagnosed psychotic individuals assessed in the community.
Methods
Using telephone interviews, we clinically assessed 2682 community participants (aged 16–40 years) in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland, to examine the characteristics of non-diagnosed psychosis.
Results
Of the 41 detected psychosis patients (1.5% of the sample), 21 (54%) had already been diagnosed and treated. Non-diagnosed individuals experienced a delusional disorder (DD) (n = 10) more frequently than diagnosed individuals (n = 1), but did not differ in other socio-demographic characteristics.
Conclusion
Further study of DD should be emphasized, along with increased awareness of the condition in primary healthcare services, as individuals with DD might present themselves for other complaints.
Retrospective studies of first-episode psychosis patients have reported that psychosis often remains untreated for some time. Yet, from clinical samples, the characteristics and number of non-diagnosed untreated psychosis patients in a community can only be estimated. Thus, this short report compares socio-demographic and clinical features of diagnosed and non-diagnosed psychotic individuals assessed in the community.
Methods
Using telephone interviews, we clinically assessed 2682 community participants (aged 16–40 years) in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland, to examine the characteristics of non-diagnosed psychosis.
Results
Of the 41 detected psychosis patients (1.5% of the sample), 21 (54%) had already been diagnosed and treated. Non-diagnosed individuals experienced a delusional disorder (DD) (n = 10) more frequently than diagnosed individuals (n = 1), but did not differ in other socio-demographic characteristics.
Conclusion
Further study of DD should be emphasized, along with increased awareness of the condition in primary healthcare services, as individuals with DD might present themselves for other complaints.
Date Issued
2018-02
Publication Type
Article
Subject(s)
Subjects
community
•
delusional disorder
•
non-diagnosed psychotic disorders
•
prevalence
Language(s)
en
Journal
Early intervention in psychiatry
Publisher
Blackwell Publishing Asia
ISSN
1751-7885
Access(Rights)
restricted