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Author(s)
Schanda H.,
Knecht G.,
Schreinzer D.,
Stompe Th.,
OrtweinSwoboda G.,
Waldhoer Th.
Publication year2004
Publication title
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Resource typeJournals
PublisherMunksgaard International Publishers
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.
Subject(s)alcohol abuse , bipolar disorder , clinical psychology , cognition , delusional disorder , depression (economics) , economics , environmental health , homicide , logistic regression , macroeconomics , medical emergency , medicine , mental health , odds , poison control , population , prevalence of mental disorders , psychiatry , psychology , psychosis , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , suicide prevention
Language(s)English
SCImago Journal Rank2.849
H-Index146
eISSN1600-0447
pISSN0001-690X
DOI10.1111/j.1600-0047.2004.00305.x
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