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Mental health treatment seeking among patients with OCD: impact of age of onset

Abstract

Background  

Several studies have described the deficits in the health care provided to persons with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD),
however, without making any distinction between psychiatric–psychotherapeutic professionals and general practitioners or other
professionals. Also, the relation between subjectively defined early signs of the disorder, diagnosis and utilization of professional
help has not yet been investigated systematically. The present study addresses these questions, using a self-rating questionnaire
for patients with OCD (questionnaire on the utilization of professional help by patients with OCD).

Methods  

Eighty-eight patients with OCD, who came to our University Hospital Outpatient Clinic for obsessive–compulsive disorders in
Leipzig, participated in the study. The questionnaire, which had been developed specially for this survey, asked study participants
to remember when they had first perceived signs of their disorder and their first-time utilization of professional help.

Results  

Patients with OCD and early onset of disorder sought professional help later than did patients with later onset of disorder.
When professional help was utilized, it took 2 years on average before the diagnosis was made. Patients with OCD first consulted
a psychiatrist or psychotherapist and not the general practitioner as their first professional contact person.

Conclusion  

First signs in the early stages of OCD, particularly with an onset in childhood and adolescence have to be diagnosed at an
earlier stage for appropriate treatment. Psychiatrists and psychotherapists, not primarily general practitioners, have a particularly
high demand for further education about early diagnosis and treatment of OCD.

  • Content Type Journal Article
  • Category Original Paper
  • Pages 1-7
  • DOI 10.1007/s00127-012-0544-3
  • Authors
    • Katarina Stengler, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Semmelweisstrasse 10, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
    • Sebastian Olbrich, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Semmelweisstrasse 10, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
    • Dirk Heider, Department of Social and Occupational Medicine and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
    • Sandra Dietrich, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Semmelweisstrasse 10, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
    • Steffi Riedel-Heller, Department of Social and Occupational Medicine and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
    • Ina Jahn, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Semmelweisstrasse 10, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
    • Journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
    • Online ISSN 1433-9285
    • Print ISSN 0933-7954
Posted in: Journal Article Abstracts on 07/07/2012 | Link to this post on IFP |
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