Factors responsible for delay in treatment seeking in patients with psychosis: A qualitative study

INTRODUCTION: Patients with psychosis often seek treatment at a later date after the onset of illness. There are a multitude of factors behind the treatment delay in these patients, reduction of this delay will help in better prognosis of these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted to understand the various reasons responsible for treatment delay in patients with psychosis. 25 subjects were selected by purposive sampling and their family members were interviewed. Qualitative analysis was carried out to identify various factors. RESULTS: Reasons for treatment delay were at several levels like illness related, patient related, treatment related, family related factors. However the most common themes among these were unawareness of illness, explanatory models of illness, stigma, financial constraints. Other themes like relation of symptoms with premorbid personality, life events, absence of paternal support were also unfolded in the current study. CONCLUSIONS: There is significant delay between onset of psychosis and treatment seeking. Several factors are responsible for treatment delay in patients with psychotic illness. However they vary depending upon the socio-cultural background of the patient and their family members. Hence the interventions devised towards reducing the delay should be individualised.