title: Variable effects of psychosocial factors on the clinical course of schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent work suggests that psychosocial stress factors play a lesser role (qualitatively) in the progression of schizophrenic illness in male patients. The authors endeavored to determine if hospitalization in schizophrenic patients of both sexes is associated with less quantifiable psychosocial stress over time.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male and female, schizophrenic inpatients from 2 urban centers in New York State (n = 31) were enrolled in this retrospective and cross-sectional study. Linear regression analysis was performed with illness duration as the independent variable and ln (1 + Paykel Life Events Schedule) score, associated with current hospitalization, as the dependent variable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Linear regression analysis revealed an inverse relationship (slope = -.086) that was statistically significant (p < .01). This result indicates an annual 92% reduction in the psychosocial stress load associated with hospitalization. The inverse relationship remained intact when males and females were analyzed separately.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data suggest that, over time, male and female patients with schizophrenia experience hospitalization and, likely, relapse as well in response to less of a total significance load of psychosocial stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA. MegnaJ@upstate.edu
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Megna
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ursino
authors.forename: Mantosh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dewan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology