Violent victimization in schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND
We investigated the 3-year prevalence, and the sociodemographic and clinical correlates of violent victimization in a large and unselected nationwide sample of deinstitutionalized patients with schizophrenia.


METHODS
The sample comprised 670 schizophrenic patients aged 15-64 years, who had been discharged from psychiatric hospitals in Finland in 1994. Comprehensive data were collected from psychiatric case records on the patients' sociodemographic factors and psychiatric history, as well as the patients' overall level of functioning. The patients were interviewed 3 years after discharge by each district's psychiatric professionals using a structured interview schedule specifically designed for the purposes of the present study project.


RESULTS
The prevalence of self-reported violent victimization during the 3-year follow-up was 5.6%. In the multivariate analysis, a poor financial situation, alcohol abuse and being a perpetrator of a violent or some other crime were associated with violent victimization.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of violent victimization among schizophrenic patients in Finland was markedly lower than that reported on patients in the United States or Great Britain, but correlates were similar. Patients with a poor financial situation and a history of alcohol misuse, as well as of violent behaviour, seem to have an increased risk for violent victimization, and constitute a vulnerable subgroup in this respect. This subgroup of deinstitutionalized patients with schizophrenia may need additional care and protection from the danger posed to them from other members of the society.
Section of Neurosciences, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41aA, 00250 Helsinki, Finland. teija.honkonen@ttl.fi
Teija
T
Honkonen
Markus
M
Henriksson
Anna-Maija
AM
Koivisto
Eija
E
Stengård
Raimo K R
RK
Salokangas
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003688:Deinstitutionalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*