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First-episode psychosis at the West Bologna Community Mental Health Centre: results of an 8-year prospective study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 March 2012

I. Tarricone ,
S. Mimmi ,
A. Paparelli ,
E. Rossi ,
E. Mori ,
S. Panigada ,
G. Carchia ,
V. Bandieri ,
R. Michetti  and
G. Minenna
...Show all authors
I. Tarricone*
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Italy West Bologna Mental Health Department, AUSL Bologna, Italy
S. Mimmi
Affiliation:
Public Health Department, Bologna University, Italy
A. Paparelli
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK
E. Rossi
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Italy
E. Mori
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Italy
S. Panigada
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Italy
G. Carchia
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Italy
V. Bandieri
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Italy
R. Michetti
Affiliation:
West Bologna Mental Health Department, AUSL Bologna, Italy
G. Minenna
Affiliation:
West Bologna Mental Health Department, AUSL Bologna, Italy
J. Boydell
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK
C. Morgan
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK
D. Berardi
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Italy West Bologna Mental Health Department, AUSL Bologna, Italy
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr I. Tarricone, Institute of Psychiatry, Bologna University, Viale Pepoli 5, 40123 Bologna, Italy. (Email: ilaria.tarricone@unibo.it)
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Abstract

Background

Research mostly conducted in the UK and northern Europe has established that there are high rates of first-episode psychosis (FEP) in large cities and immigrant populations; moreover, psychosis has been found to be associated with cannabis use and early trauma. The present study aimed to evaluate the incidence rate of FEP and the distribution of several risk factors (e.g. age, ethnicity, substance abuse) in Bologna, Italy.

Method

The Bologna FEP (BoFEP) study is an 8-year prospective study. All FEP patients, 18–64 years old, consecutively referred to the West Bologna Community Mental Health Centre (CMHC) from 2002 to 2009 were evaluated. Sociodemographic information, migration history and clinical data were collected through an ad-hoc schedule. Psychiatric diagnoses were recorded using the Schedule for Clinical Assessment of Neuropsychiatry (SCAN).

Results

The overall incidence rate (IR) in the BoFEP study was 16.4 per 100 000 person-years [95% confidence interval (CI) 13.9–18.9]. The incidence was higher in young people, men and migrants (MI).

Conclusions

The IR of FEP found by the Bologna study is lower than that found by other European studies. However, as in other studies, the incidence was higher in certain groups. This heterogeneity has implications for policy and mental health service development, and for understanding the aetiology of psychosis.

Keywords

First-episode psychosisincidencemigrantspsychosis risk factors
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 42 , Issue 11 , November 2012 , pp. 2255 - 2264
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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