Demographic and clinical characteristics of diagnosed and non‐diagnosed psychotic disorders in the community. Issue 1 (24th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Michel, Chantal; Schimmelmann, Benno G.; Schultze‐Lutter, Frauke
• Is Part Of: Early intervention in psychiatry. Volume 12:Issue 1(2018:Feb.)
• Page Start: 87
• Page End: 90
• Publication Date: 2016-08-24
• Subjects: community -- delusional disorder -- non‐diagnosed psychotic disorders -- prevalence; Mental health -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Research -- Periodicals; Mental illness -- Prevention -- Research -- Periodicals; Mental illness -- Treatment -- Research -- Periodicals; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1111/eip.12360
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-7885

Abstract

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.