Schizophrenic patients pass by a prodromic phase with non specific signs until the installation psychotics signs creating the request of cares.

The delay diagnosis has an impact on the quality of the therapeutic and the prognostic.

The objective of our study is to identify factors implied in the delay diagnosis of the schizophrenia and also to determine the length of the period of non treatment.

It is a prospective study on a sample of schizophrenics with the first hospitalization to the Academic Psychiatric service of Marrakech since January 2007.

We have 60 patients valued by a hétéro questionnaire, the mini-DSM IV diagnosis scale and the PANSS.

The middle age of patients is of 28, 5 years with a predominance masculine of 86.7%. 90% of patients were unmarried and the majority (80%) without profession; 35% of patients have a low school level

These patients consulted for the first time: generalist (1, 7%), traditional healer (6, 7%), psychiatrist and healer (18, 3%) or a psychiatrist (28, 3%) in all these cases the diagnosis of schizophrenia has not been made; 40% of patients never consulted.

The middle length between the beginning of symptoms and the establishment of the diagnosis is 50 months+ 24 (min: 7, max:320)

The delay diagnosis of the schizophrenia is bound to several factors: medical, socioeconomic and cultural.

An improvement of socioeconomic conditions, the sensitization of the population on schizophrenia and the creation of continuing education programs for professionals’ health will contribute to a precocious treatment