Barriers to Seeking Early Psychiatric Treatment amongst First-episode Psychosis Patients: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACTAims: The aim of this study was to explore the family members' determinant of the delay in seeking psychiatric care to patients diagnosed with psychosis. Methods: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were carried out with twenty-seven family members of patients with psychosis at psychiatric outpatient clinics in Amman, Jordan. Results: The findings revealed that perceived stigma and fears about being labelled are the main barriers to requesting early psychiatric health care. The participants cited many different reasons linked to finding help led to delay in seeking help in the early stages of the illness including misattribution of the cause and symptoms of mental illness, family and financial factors. Conclusions: The study highlights the importance of enhancing knowledge about the schizophrenia-related spectrum to ensure patients seek treatment in a more timely manner.