Duration of Untreated Psychosis and Ethnicity

Migrant background and ethnic minority status as predictors for duration of untreated psychosis

“…This should be the focus of future research concerning the treatment and outcome of psychotic disorders in immigrant groups. Another important factor may be culturally rooted stigma of visiting a psychiatrist, which could explain why ethnic minority status appears to have an effect on DUP regardless of age at migration …”

“…Findings regarding DUP's relation to ethnic minority status and migrant background are however ambiguous. A Dutch study focusing on ethnic minority status found significantly longer DUP in minorities than in the reference population . In the UK‐based AESOP (Aetiology and Ethnicity in Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses) cohort, black African patients had shorter DUP than the reference population, whereas no ethnicity‐based differences in DUP was found in a Canadian study .…”

“…Being an immigrant or being part of an ethnic minority population, clearly distinct from the majority population, is well‐established risk factors for psychotic disorders . Ethnic minority status and a migrant background also have implications for pathways into the health‐care system and, thus, have possible associations with the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) . A long DUP has consistently been shown to be associated with poorer outcome .…”

Psychosis and suicide risk by ethnic origin and history of migration in the Netherlands

“…As homeless patients and patients without a residence permit constitute a small part of the population, their omission is unlikely to influence our results substantially. The proportion of patients who do not receive treatment is unknown and may be higher among immigrant groups, because the duration of untreated psychosis is also higher in these groups (Selten et al, 2001;Sterk et al, 2010).…”

Improving outcomes: Factors influencing help-seeking behaviors in immigrants and ethnic minorities with first-episode psychosis

“…Studies of DUP's relation to ethnic minority status and/or migrant background are however ambiguous. Two Dutch studies found significantly longer DUPs in minorities (31) and first generation immigrants (22) compared to the reference population, while a UK-based study found that black African patients had shorter DUP (23).…”