Research article summary (published 29 Nov 1999):

Fertility and marital rates in first-onset schizophrenia.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND: Many studies have demonstrated that in schizophrenia there are decreased rates of marriage, fertility and marital fertility. However, it is not clear whether this finding occurs as a social consequence of having the illness or is an inherent part of the illness. One would expect it to vary across cultures if it were being mediated by social and cultural factors. METHOD: We investigated this by reviewing the marital and fertility data from a multi-ethnic first-contact group of patients in London with CATEGO broadly defined schizophrenia, and comparing this with similar data from a group of controls who were matched for age, gender and ethnicity. RESULTS: Our sample comprised 38 White British, 38 Caribbean and 24 Asian subjects. The Asian group were significantly older (mean age 38, P < 0.003) and had a greater percentage of females (50%). When compared to controls, the White and Caribbean patients, but not the Asians, had decreased marital and stable relationship rates. There was also decreased fertility and marital fertility as evidenced by number of children among the Whites and Caribbeans, but again significantly not among the Asians. Marital status did not predict fertility rates, particularly among the Caribbeans. Regression analysis demonstrated an effect for age on the number of children but not on marital status. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that marital and reproductive behaviour are reduced in schizophrenia, but this effect may be mediated by social and cultural factors and therefore not apply consistently across ethnicity. Further research is needed to prospectively investigate populations to determine whether impairments of this nature are inherent or consequential to the illness.

Author information

Author/s: Hutchinson, G (G); Bhugra, D (D); Mallett, R (R); Burnett, R (R); Corridan, B (B); Leff, J (J);

Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London, UK.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology (Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol), published in GERMANY. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1999-Dec; vol 34 (issue 12) : pp 617-21

Dates: Created 2000/04/11; Completed 2000/04/11; Revised 2004/11/17;

PMID: 10703270, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent Adult Family Female Fertility - physiology Humans

Humans Marriage - psychology Middle Aged Schizophrenia Schizophrenic Psychology Sex Factors

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