Victimization of the severely mentally ill in Greece: the extent of the problem.
BACKGROUND
In contrast to extensive research on psychiatric patients' dangerousness, very few studies have examined their victimization.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study is to record reported victimization of seriously mentally ill outpatients in Greece and compare them with healthy controls.


METHODS
We interviewed 150 severely mentally ill outpatients and a matched group of healthy controls using a semi-structured interview. This recorded incidents of victimization and perceived discrimination during the previous year. Logistic regression models were used to examine the influence of demographic parameters on both victimization and discrimination.


RESULTS
In this study 59.3% of patients and 46.0 % of controls (p = .02) reported being victims of a criminal act at least once and 52.0% of patients and 24.0 % of controls (p < .001) reported experiencing discrimination during the previous year. Patients, in comparison to controls, were more likely to report being victims of any kind of victimization (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.07-3.21), of assault/threat (OR = 4.62, 95% CI = (2.32-9.19) and of discrimination (OR = 3.34, 95% CI = (2.1-5.62). In addition, patients reported experiencing higher distress in assault/threat crime compared to controls (p = .03).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with serious mental illness are more likely than the general population to report being victims of criminal acts and experiencing discrimination.
1Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Magdalini
M
Katsikidou
Maria
M
Samakouri
Maria
M
Fotiadou
Aikaterini
A
Arvaniti
Theofanis
T
Vorvolakos
Kiriakos
K
Xenitidis
Miltos
M
Livaditis
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D011287:Prejudice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013800:Theft / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data