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Homicide and major mental disorders: a 25‐year study
Author(s) -
Schanda H.,
Knecht G.,
Schreinzer D.,
Stompe Th.,
OrtweinSwoboda G.,
Waldhoer Th.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0047.2004.00305.x
Subject(s) - homicide , psychiatry , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , depression (economics) , bipolar disorder , delusional disorder , medicine , population , prevalence of mental disorders , alcohol abuse , odds , poison control , psychology , clinical psychology , suicide prevention , psychosis , mental health , medical emergency , logistic regression , cognition , economics , macroeconomics , environmental health
Objective: This study was designed to investigate the association between major mental disorders (MMDs) and homicide. Method: The rates of exculpations because of MMDs among 1087 Austrian homicide offenders during 1975 and 1999 were compared with the rates of the respective disorders in the general population. Results: MMDs were associated with an increased likelihood of homicide (two‐fold in men and six‐fold in women). This was exclusively because of schizophrenia (age‐adjusted ORs in men 5.85, CI 4.29–8.01; in women 18.38, CI 11.24–31.55) and delusional disorder in men (OR 5.98, CI 1.91–16.51). Comorbid alcohol abuse/dependence (additionally) increased the odds in schizophrenia, major depression and bipolar disorder. Conclusion: The increased likelihood of homicide in subjects with MMDs cannot be fully explained by comorbid alcoholism. The results point to the special importance of sufficient treatment for a subgroup of mentally ill individuals being at higher risk of violence.