Citation

Humphreys MS, Johnstone EC, MacMillan JF, Taylor PJ. Br. J. Psychiatry 1992; 161: 501-505.

Affiliation

Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

Comment In:

Br J Psychiatry 1993;163:547.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, Royal College of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

1393336

Abstract

Of 253 patients in their first schizophrenic episode, 52 behaved in a way threatening to the lives of others before their admission to hospital. These 52 patients were studied from data collected at the time of their initial presentation. Despite a history of illness in excess of 1 year in 24 cases, and evidence that violence was motivated by psychotic symptoms in 23 cases, fewer than half of the patients were admitted to hospital as a direct result of their dangerous behaviour. Life-threatening behaviour was more common where the patient had been ill for longer, and where there were delusions of being poisoned.

Language: en