Violence in women with psychosis in the community: prospective study.

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the determinants of violence in women with psychosis.

AIMS

To identify predictors of violence in a community sample of women with chronic psychosis.

METHOD

The 2-year prevalence of physical assault was estimated for a sample of 304 women with psychosis. Baseline socio-demographic and clinical factors were used to identify predictors of assault.

RESULTS

The 2-year prevalence of assault in the sample was 17%. Assaultive behaviour was associated with previous violence (OR=5.87,95% CI 2.42-14.25), non-violent convictions (OR=2.63,95% CI 1.17-5.93), victimization (OR=2.46, 95% CI1.02-5.93), African-Caribbean ethnicity (OR=2.24,95% CI1.02-4.77), cluster B personality disorder (OR=2.66, 95% CI1.11-6.38) and high levels of unmet need (OR=1.17,95% CI1.01-1.35). An interaction between African-Caribbean ethnicity and cluster B personality disorder was identified in relation to violent outcome. Violent women were found to be more costly to services.

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly a fifth of community-dwelling women with chronic psychosis committed assault over a period of 2 years. Six independent risk factors were found to predict violence.