Department of Mental Health, Kamuzu College of Nursing, University of Malawi/Kamuzu University of Health Sciences.
Saint John of God Hospitaller Services, Malawi.
Malawi Med J. 2021 Apr;33(Postgraduate Supplementary Iss):23-29. doi: 10.4314/mmj.v33iS.5.
The duration of untreated Psychosis (DUP) is a modifiable factor in the management and outcome of patients with psychosis. However, its predictive factors have not been studied much in Malawi. Our study was aimed at determining the psychosocial and clinical predictors of DUP in first episode psychosis in Malawi.
A quantitative cross-sectional study, using secondary data from an early intervention study project was done in Mzuzu, Malawi. We analysed 140 adult participants enrolled in early intervention project in 2010. Data was collected using abstraction sheet to target predictive factors. We conducted univariate and multivariate logistic regression at confidence interval of 95%. We described the mean DUP, and looked at relationship of clinical and psychosocial factors with DUP.
Most participants were male (60%, n=84) and single (51.4%, n=72). The median age of male participants was 31 years (Range=18 to 60), lower than females 35 years (Range=18 to 65). (what were the numbers of females). The majority of the participants' highest education level was secondary school (63.6%, n=89), and most had DUP of ≥ 6 months (74%, n=103). We found mean DUP of 42 months (SD= ±71). Employment status, diagnosis of schizophrenia (OR=10.93, 95% C.I 3.08-38.89), and negative symptoms of psychosis were associated with DUP of ≥ 6 months. Public self-consciousness and social quality of life were associated with long DUP.
Our study shows psychosocial and clinical factors that predict long DUP in Malawi. This highlights the need to target these factors when working on first episode psychosis for a better outcome.
未治疗精神病期（DUP）是精神病患者管理和预后的一个可改变因素。然而，在马拉维，其预测因素并没有得到太多研究。我们的研究旨在确定马拉维首次精神病发作中 DUP 的社会心理和临床预测因素。
这是一项使用 2010 年早期干预研究项目的二次数据的定量横断面研究。我们分析了在马拉维姆祖祖参与早期干预项目的 140 名成年参与者。使用摘要表收集数据以确定预测因素。我们进行了单变量和多变量逻辑回归，置信区间为 95%。我们描述了 DUP 的平均值，并研究了临床和社会心理因素与 DUP 的关系。
大多数参与者是男性（60%，n=84）和单身（51.4%，n=72）。男性参与者的中位年龄为 31 岁（范围为 18 至 60 岁），低于女性的 35 岁（范围为 18 至 65 岁）。（女性的数量是多少）。大多数参与者的最高教育水平是中学（63.6%，n=89），大多数 DUP 为≥6 个月（74%，n=103）。我们发现平均 DUP 为 42 个月（SD=±71）。就业状况、精神分裂症诊断（OR=10.93，95%CI 3.08-38.89）和精神病的阴性症状与 DUP≥6 个月有关。公众自我意识和社会生活质量与长 DUP 有关。
我们的研究表明，社会心理和临床因素可预测马拉维的长 DUP。这突出表明，在治疗首发精神病时，需要针对这些因素，以获得更好的结果。
