Violence in women with psychosis in the community: prospective study.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the determinants of violence in women with psychosis.


OBJECTIVE
To identify predictors of violence in a community sample of women with chronic psychosis.


METHODS
The 2-year prevalence of physical assault was estimated for a sample of 304 women with psychosis. Baseline socio-demographic and clinical factors were used to identify predictors of assault.


RESULTS
The 2-year prevalence of assault in the sample was 17%. Assaultive behaviour was associated with previous violence (OR=5.87,95% CI 2.42-14.25), non-violent convictions (OR=2.63,95% CI 1.17-5.93), victimization (OR=2.46, 95% CI1.02-5.93), African-Caribbean ethnicity (OR=2.24,95% CI1.02-4.77), cluster B personality disorder (OR=2.66, 95% CI1.11-6.38) and high levels of unmet need (OR=1.17,95% CI1.01-1.35). An interaction between African-Caribbean ethnicity and cluster B personality disorder was identified in relation to violent outcome. Violent women were found to be more costly to services.


CONCLUSIONS
Nearly a fifth of community-dwelling women with chronic psychosis committed assault over a period of 2 years. Six independent risk factors were found to predict violence.
Dean
Kimberlie
K
Department of Forensic Mental Health Science, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK. k.dean@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Walsh
Elizabeth
E
Moran
Paul
P
Tyrer
Peter
P
Creed
Francis
F
Byford
Sarah
S
Burns
Tom
T
Murray
Robin
R
Fahy
Tom
T
D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D019548:Crime Victims; D003688:Deinstitutionalization; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014754:Violence / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*