English English

Bahasa Indonesia

Abstract

Background: Schizophrenia is a chronic psychotic disorder characterized by positive, negative, and cognitive dysfunction symptoms. The 2023 Indonesian Health Survey shows that 44% of patients have not received appropriate treatment. One factor that plays a role in prognosis is the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP). A long DUP can worsen cognitive function, so it is important to conduct research on its relationship. Objective: To determine the relationship between the duration of untreated psychosis and cognitive function in schizophrenia patients. Methods: This study is an observational analytical study with a cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of 62 Batak ethnic schizophrenia patients at Prof. M. Ildrem Psychiatric Hospital, North Sumatra, in 2025. Demographic data included age, gender, marital status, education, and sub-ethnic group. Cognitive function was measured using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). The relationship between DUP and cognitive function was analyzed using the Mann- Whitney test. Results: Most patients were male (69.4%), married (53.2%), had a high school education (43.5%), and were from the Toba ethnic group (54.8%). The majority had experienced DUP for more than 6 months (69.4%). Based on the MMSE, the majority of cognitive function was in the normal category (41.9%). The Mann-Whitney test results showed a significant relationship between DUP and cognitive function (p = 0.003). Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between the duration of untreated psychosis and cognitive function in schizophrenia patients, whereby the longer the DUP, the lower the cognitive function.

Keywords: Schizophrenia, Duration of untreated psychosis, Cognitive function, MMSE