Hitting the floor: understanding migration patterns following the first episode of psychosis

Recent research published in Health and Place (Ngamini Ngui et al., 2013b) found that one third of people with first episode psychosis [FEP] will have made a large-scale migration six years after initial diagnosis. Here, I extend this discussion around three important observations. Namely, at first presentation the most disadvantaged communities already shoulder the burden of psychotic morbidity; people with FEP in more rural communities migrate less often, and; people with FEP exhibit both upwards and downwards social mobility after onset. Understanding the reasons for (non-)migration before and after psychosis onset is now required for effective public mental health and service provision.