Understanding pathways to care of individuals entering a specialized early intervention service for first-episode psychosis

Objective: This study aimed to understand the pathways to care from the onset of a first episode of psychosis to entry into a specialized early intervention service (EIS) for individuals with nonaffective psychosis. Methods: A sample of 20 individuals who participated in an EIS and ten of their family members were enrolled. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were used to characterize participants’ lives during the onset of psychosis and explore their help-seeking events from the onset of psychosis to entry into the EIS. Data were analyzed by using grounded theory and a case study methodology. Results: The median duration between the onset of psychosis and EIS entry was 4.5 months. A grounded model emerged from the analysis that captured how help-seeking decisions were influenced by the misattribution of symptoms, stigma, and self-reliance. These factors created a cloud of uncertainty in which individuals experiencing early psychosis and their family members struggled to make sense of what was happening, how and when to seek help, and what to expect from treatment. Contacts with the health care system were critical junctures in the pathway to care that could reduce or increase uncertainty and expedite or delay EIS entry. Conclusions: Findings indicate that efforts to expedite EIS entry should focus on reducing the uncertainty that affected individuals and their family members face when seeking care by improving their experiences with mental health services.