Early intervention in first-episode psychosis - The impact of a community development campaign

Abstract

Objective. Substantial delays in providing access to treatment in first-episode psychosis have been well documented. The present study examines the impact of strategies aimed at improving access and reducing delays. Method. A pilot community education campaign was conducted with the aim of reducing the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) in a geographically defined intervention sector located in the north-western region of Melbourne, Australia. Utilising a quasi-experimental design, a comparison sector with similar demographics was selected from another part of the north-western region. A mobile early detection team and the same treatment system served both sectors. Results. While there wa..