Stigma and access to care in first-episode psychosis

Kular, A., Perry, B. I., Brown, L., Gajwani, R. , Jasini, R., Islam, Z., Birchwood, M. and Singh, S. P. (2019) Stigma and access to care in first-episode psychosis. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 13(5), pp. 1208-1213. (doi: 10.1111/eip.12756) (PMID:30411522)

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Abstract

Aim: Mental health‐related stigma is considered a significant barrier to help‐seeking and accessing care in those experiencing mental illness. Long duration of untreated psychosis is associated with poorer outcomes. The impact of stigma on the duration of untreated psychosis, in first‐episode psychosis remains unexplored. To examine the association between mental health‐related stigma and access to care in people experiencing first‐episode psychosis in Birmingham, UK. Methods: We collected data on a prospective cohort of first‐episode psychosis. The Stigma Scale was used as a measure of mental health‐related stigma, and duration of untreated psychosis as a measure of delay in accessing care. We performed logistic and linear regression analyses to explore the relationship between mental health‐related stigma and duration of untreated psychosis, adjusting for sex, age, educational level, religion and ethnicity. Results: On the 89 participants included in this study, linear regression analysis revealed that overall stigma and the discrimination sub‐factor were significant predictors of longer duration of untreated psychosis, whereas logistic regression identified the disclosure sub‐factor to be a significant predictor of longer duration of untreated psychosis. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that stigmatizing views of mental illness from the patient's perspectives can result in delayed access to care. This emphasizes the importance of tackling mental health‐related stigma to ensure early treatment and improved outcomes for people experiencing first‐episode psychosis.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:This article presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research under its Programme Grants for Applied Research programme (RP-PG-0606-1151). Dr B.P. is funded by Academic Clinical Fellowship from the National Insti- tute for Health Research (NIHR).
Keywords:Phychiatric mental health, biological psychiatry, psychiatry and mental health.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Gajwani, Dr Ruchika
Authors: Kular, A., Perry, B. I., Brown, L., Gajwani, R., Jasini, R., Islam, Z., Birchwood, M., and Singh, S. P.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Mental Health and Wellbeing
Journal Name:Early Intervention in Psychiatry
Publisher:Wiley
ISSN:1751-7885
ISSN (Online):1751-7893
Published Online:09 November 2018

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