Information campaign key to early intervention for psychosis

How long someone is ill with psychosis before they receive treatment, the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) is a risk factor for a poorer response to treatment and a poorer outcome of treatment. A Scandinavian study used an intensive information campaign targeting the general public, schools and GPs and low-threshold emergency detection teams to reduce the duration of untreated psychosis and this proved successful compared to service as normal in other areas which acted as a control group. At the end of the trial the publicity campaign stopped but one of the areas still kept its early-detection team allowing researchers to see what the effect of the information campaign had been. They found that once the information campaign had stopped the DUP reverted back to its pre-existing levels and service users were iller by the time they came into contact with health professionals.

Joa, Inge ... [et al] - The key to reducing duration of untreated psychosis: information campaigns Schizophrenia Bulletin May 2008, 34(3), 466-472