First episode of psychosis in rural Greece

A multi-center study of the Mobile Mental Health Units

Bibliographic Data

ID7176396
AuthorsVaios Peritogiannis (0000-0002-9825-154X, Mobile Mental Health Unit of the Prefectures of Ioannina and Thesprotia, Society for the Promotion of Mental Health in Epirus, Ioannina, Greece, corresponding author), Ioanna-Athina Botsari (Early Intervention in Psychosis Unit, University Mental Health Research Institute, Athens, Greece), Athina Fragouli-Sakellaropoulou (Society of Social Psychiatry P. Sakellaropoulos, Alexandroupolis, Greece), Iliana Filla (Mobile Mental Health Unit of Chios, Child and Adolescent Center, Chios, Greece), Aikaterini Garmpi (Mobile Mental Health Unit of Kefalonia-Zakynthos-Ithaca, Non-profit Organization ‘Metavasi’, Kefalonia, Greece), Maria Dimopoulou (0009-0001-0139-289X, Department of Psychiatry, General Hospital of Corfu, Greece), Stavros Gavriilidi, Stavros Gavriilidis (Mobile Mental Health Unit of the Prefectures of Kozani and Grevena, Society for Mental Health and Social Rehabilitation, Kozani, Greece), Alexandros Vgontzas (University of Crete), Maria Samakouri (0000-0002-3173-0474, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece), Coordinating Committee of the Mobile Mental Health Units
Year2025
Volume71
Issue5
Pages912-922
Publication date2025-01-11
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Social Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0020-7640 • E-ISSN: 1741-2854
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00207640241310185
PMID39797600
OpenAlexW4406285842
LanguageEN
References cited36

Background: Over the last decades the study of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders has been focused on early and comprehensive intervention during the first episode of psychosis (FEP), but studies in rural settings are only rare. In Greece mental healthcare in rural areas is mostly delivered by the locally-based Mobile Mental Health Units (MMHUs). Aims: The aim of the present study was to address treatment of FEP patients by the MMHUs in rural areas in Greece, focusing on patients with a first episode of schizophrenia. Method: This is a multicenter, retrospective observational study with the participation of nine MMHUs across several areas in rural mainland and some islands of Greece. Patients of the age range of 15 to 55 years with a diagnosis of non-affective psychosis were included in the study. Results: The study sample consisted of 216 patients, while analysis was performed for patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia ( n = 153, 70.8% of the sample). Most patients were males ( n = 93, 60.8%), with a mean age at first presentation 34.9 years ( Md = 34.5, SD = 11.94). The mean duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) was 7.85 months ( Md = 3, IQR = 10.00) and was shorter in younger (15–25 years) patients. More than 60% of patients had been successfully engaged to treatment with the MMHUs, with a mean follow-up duration of 5.17 years ( Md = 5.00, IQR = 5.00). Younger patients (26–35 years) tend to disengage from treatment, while those aged 36 to 45 years were more likely to continue follow-up. A reduction of 47.22% in hospital admissions among patients with schizophrenia was observed over follow-up of patients by the MMHUS. Conclusion: The most noteworthy findings of the study are the low percentage of patients seeking help from the MMHUs, compared to the expected cases and the high attendance rate of those that are examined in this context. Further research on psychosis/schizophrenia in the rural context is warranted

dup · Mental health · Observational study · Psychiatry · Psychosis · Retrospective cohort study · Rural area · Schizophrenia (object-oriented programming · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Mental Health and Psychiatry · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Schizophrenia research and treatment · Pediatrics

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