Use of social marketing strategies to reduce duration of untreated psychosis

Delay in entering care for a psychotic illness, or the Duration of Untreated Psychosis (DUP) has been robustly associated with poorer outcomes across healthcare systems¹. A landmark study in Norway (TIPS) first demonstrated that decreasing DUP (or Early Detection, ED) reduced distress on treatment entry², and improved outcomes up to 10 years later³. A key element of the TIPS approach to ED was the use of a media campaign to enable patients and caregivers to more rapidly access specialized early psychosis services⁴.

The clinic for Specialized Treatment Early in Psychosis (STEP) based in New Haven, Connecticut will launch a similar campaign in 2015 targeting young patients (ages 16-35) in the early stages of a primary psychotic disorder and their families living in 8 surrounding towns. The STEP-ED campaign will update the TIPS approach with the use of novel social marketing approaches.

 This poster will present a review of previous health-related media campaigns and describe how social marketing can inform the design of such campaigns. Finally, the STEP-ED strategy will be detailed, including the theory of the campaign, planned methods of execution (including sample marketing materials, focus group data) and measures of effectiveness. STEP-ED seeks to hasten access to effective care for serious mental illnesses in a representative U.S. community. In keeping with the ACA’s emphasis on Prevention and Early Intervention, this project aims to model a sustainable approach for other communities and related disorders to reduce disease burden by hastening entry into care.