Factors associated with delayed diagnosis of severe mental disorders in China

Abstract

Abstract Background: To understand the incidence and influencing factors of delayed diagnosis of patients with severe mental disorders in China and to provide a basis for formulating treatment and assistance policies for patients with severe mental disorders.Methods: Based on the basic and follow-up file information of severe mental disorder patients registered in the Jiangsu severe mental disorder management system, the occurrence of delayed diagnosis of severe mental disorder patients in Wuxi community was analysed, and the influencing factors was conducted through logistic regression analysis. The delayed diagnosis was defined as the time between the first abnormal behavior observed by family members and the formal diagnosis of psychosis.Results: A total of 27 964 people with SMD were involved in the analysis, and the median delayed diagnosis was 3.2 months (IQR 1.3–28.2). The incidence of delayed diagnosis was 49.59%. After adjusting for other factors, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, household registration, education, marriage, medical insurance, subsistence allowances, diagnosis classification, antipsychotic treatment and number of visits to general hospitals (per year) were associated with a delayed diagnosis.Conclusions: Through the investigation of large sample data, we found some influencing factors of delayed diagnosis in China. Therefore, according to the current research results, we should strengthen the propaganda of mental health policy, improve the mental health literacy of community residents, and reduce the stigma of patients with serious mental disorders in the community.