Positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia as correlates of help-seeking behaviour and the duration of untreated psychosis in south-east Nigeria

Abstract

<p><strong>Background.</strong> Duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) has been widely recognised in recent years as a potentially important predictor of illness outcome, and the manifestations of schizophrenia have been known to influence its early recognition as a mental illness. </p><p><strong>Objective.</strong> To assess the association between the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia, help-seeking and DUP. </p><p><strong>Methods.</strong> We performed a cross-sectional study of 360 patients with schizophrenia, who had had no previous contact with Western mental health services. The Sociodemographic Questionnaire, World Health Organization Pathway Encounter Form and a questionnaire to establish DUP were used. The positive and negative syndrome scale and Composite International Diagnostic Interview were used for the assessment of mental disorders and to diagnose.</p><p><strong>Results.</strong> Respondents who had predominant positive symptoms and who had a median DUP of 8 weeks or 24 weeks, tended to use psychiatric hospitals and other Western medical facilities, respectively, as their first treatment options. However, those who had predominant negative symptoms and who had a median DUP of 144 weeks or 310 weeks, tended to use faith healers and traditional healers, respectively, as first treatment options.</p><p><strong>Conclusion.</strong> The predominance of negative symptoms could militate against early presentation among people with schizophrenia, probably because negative symptoms are poorly recognised as indicating mental illness in Nigeria, as they could be interpreted as deviant behaviour or spiritual problems that would require spiritual solutions.</p>

Clinical implication of smoking among patients with schizophrenia at a Tertiary Institution in South East Nigeria

“…Most of the participants (48%) had a predominance of negative symptoms. This is higher than 25% and 15.8% reported in some other studies 27 , 28 . This may be due to differences in sampling methods, help seeking behavior, duration of untreated psychosis, long schizophrenia illness and effect of medications leading to an increase in negative symptoms 27 , 28 .…”

“…This may be due to differences in sampling methods, help seeking behavior, duration of untreated psychosis, long schizophrenia illness and effect of medications leading to an increase in negative symptoms 27 , 28 . Long duration of untreated psychosis found in developing countries, has been recorded among patients with predominantly negative symptoms 28 . Current smoking was demonstrated to be significantly associated with disability.…”

Thyroid Hormone Levels in Chronic Schizophrenic Patients: Association with Psychopathology

“…The PANSS is an instrument used for assessing the severity of schizophrenia symptoms (12). Positive symptoms reflect an excess or distortion of the individual's normal functioning, while negative symptoms are characterized by the absence of normal behaviour (13). We found a very mild negative correlation between PANSS-N and levels of TSH.…”

Post-partum depression, anxiety and marital satisfaction: A perspective from Southeastern Nigeria

“…Southeastern Nigeria (one of the six geopolitical zones or divisions in which Nigeria’s 36 federating units or states are grouped) is primarily inhabited by the people of the Igbo ethnic group, who speak Igbo and one of the three largest and most influential ethnic groups in Nigeria. 38 The Igbos constitute 18% of the total Nigerian population of 170 million, that is, approximately 30 million. 39 Igbo people are predominantly Christians.…”