Residential mobility of individuals with diagnosed schizophrenia: a comparison of single and multiple movers.
BACKGROUND
Several studies have compared the residential mobility of individuals with schizophrenia to mobility of individuals with other mental disorders or with no mental disorders. Little research has been undertaken to describe differences between single (i.e., infrequent) and multiple (i.e., frequent) movers with schizophrenia, and the association between frequency of mobility and health and health service use.


METHODS
The data source is population-based administrative records from the province of Manitoba, Canada. Hospital separations and physicians claims are linked to health registration files to identify a cohort with diagnosed schizophrenia and track changes in residential postal code over time. Single movers (N = 736), who had only one postal code change in a 2.5-year observation period, are compared to multiple movers (N = 252), who had two or more postal code changes. Differences in demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic characteristics, measures of health service use, and the prevalence of several chronic diseases were examined using chi(2) tests, logistic regression, and generalized linear regression.


RESULTS
Multiple movers were significantly more likely to be young, live in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods, and reside in the urban core. The prevalence of a co-occurring substance use disorder and arthritis was higher for multiple than single movers. Use of acute and ambulatory care for schizophrenia, other mental disorders, as well as physical disorders was generally higher for multiple than single movers.


CONCLUSIONS
Frequency of mobility should be considered in the development of needs-based funding plans and service delivery interventions. Other opportunities to use record-linkage techniques to examine residential mobility are considered.
Lix
Lisa M
LM
Dept. of Community Health Sciences, Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, University of Manitoba, 408-727 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3P5, Canada. lisa_lix@cpe.umanitoba.ca
DeVerteuil
Geoffrey
G
Walker
John R
JR
Robinson
J Renee
JR
Hinds
Aynslie M
AM
Roos
Leslie L
LL
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011157:Population Dynamics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology