title: Sex differences in symptoms of psychosis in a non-selected, general population sample.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about sex differences in psychosis beyond the borders of clinical disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  A general population sample of 7,076 subjects was assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, in order to explore sex differences in the prevalence of any positive and negative symptoms of psychosis, and to examine to what degree any differences could be explained by differences in level of affective symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Male sex was associated with higher prevalence of negative symptoms (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.0, 2.5), independent of differences in affective symptoms and presence of DSM-III-R psychotic disorder. Women had higher rates of positive psychotic experiences (OR = 0.8, 95% CI = 0.7, 0.9), but this difference disappeared after adjustment for depressive symptoms (adjusted OR = 1.2, 95% CI = 0.9, 1.5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sex differences in psychopathology that are seen in schizophrenia are expressed beyond the clinical phenotype, suggesting sex-dependent continuous and normal variation of several psychosis dimensions. The higher rates of positive psychotic experiences seen in women may be secondary to differences in the rate of affective symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, azM/Mondriaan/Riagg/RIBW/Vijverdal Academic Centre, European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616 (DRT 10), 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nadja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maric
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Krabbendam
authors.forename: Wilma
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Vollebergh
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Graaf
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Os
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires