Original article

Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research 2007;10(2):107-112.

초발 망상형 정신분열병 환자에서 성별에 따른 발병 연령의 차이

Soon Tae Hong, MD, Young Kyung Sun Woo, MD, Min Hee Kang MD, Jeong Seop Lee, MD, Jae Nam Bae, MD and Chul Eung Kim, MD

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the gender difference of age of onset in the first admitted patients with paranoid schizophrenia.
Methods:The study sample comprised the first admitted patients with paranoid schizophrenia in University Hospital from January 1997 to December 2004. The patients met the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for paranoid schizophrenia. In 151 patients (including 72 male patients and 79 female patients) selected for this study, the demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between male and female.
Results:There were gender differences in age of onset and marital status. The age of onset was significantly earlier in male patients than in female patients (p=.033). The age of onset in single or never married patients was significantly earlier than in patients with married experience such as married, divorced, widow or widower (p<.001) both in male and female, while there were no gender differences of the schizophrenic onset either in single/never married or married/married-experienced patients.
Conclusion:There is the gender difference of the age at onset in paranoid schizophrenia, and this difference might be related with marital status. So, further study is needed to reveal the psychosocial effects, such as marital status, on the onset of schizophrenia. (Korean J Schizophr Res 2007;10:107-112)

Key Words: Paranoid schizophrenia,Age of onset,Marital status,Gender differences.