People with schizophrenia are at increased risk of violence, suicide and premature death. These conclusions are the fruit of a study carried out in Sweden by British researchers from the University of Oxford and published by the journal The Lancet Psychiatry. “However, say the researchers, these results need to be clarified as a basis for population-targeted interventions.”
Doctor Seena Fazel’s team analyzed a cohort of 24,297 schizophrenic patients followed between 1972 and 2009. For the first time, the researchers compared the statistics of people suffering from schizophrenia with the general population and with their siblings in order to better take into account the family environment of the patient.
An increase in 38 years
Result: during the five years following diagnosis, 10.7% of patients and 2.7% of female patients were convicted of acts of violence. This is four times more than their non-ill siblings and seven times more than the general population. One patient in 50 commits an act of suicide and all are eight times more likely to die prematurely compared to the general population.
Overall, the risks of premature death, suicide and acts of violence have increased among people with schizophrenia over the past 38 years. But by analyzing the risk factors of the patients, the researchers realized that, with regard to violence and premature death, they are the same as for the general population: drugs, criminality, self-mutilation… They estimate that there is still work to be done to develop new treatments and limit the risks for patients.
