Characteristics of violence and aggression in patients with schizophrenia in Hospital Kota Bharu
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Date
2002
Authors
Ali, Omar
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
Violent behaviour among individuals with severe mental illness has become an important focus in community-based psychiatry. In recent years more findings have found an association between mental illness and violent behaviour especially in patients with schizophrenia. There are a few risk factors to violence behaviour that are important towards risk management and effective rehabilitation management of such patients. To compare the violent and the nonviolent patients of schizophrenia on the
demography, clinical variables and psychopathology.
This is a cross sectional study of inpatients admitted to the psychiatric
wards at Hospital Kota Bharu. There were 43 subjects in the violent group and 22
subjects in the nonviolent group. Complementary data were also gathered from the
medical records and from the relatives.
The violent schizophrenia patients have significant association with being male,
residing in rural areas, having a shorter duration of illness, noncompliance to
medications, having substance abuse problem, and with previous records of criminality.
The above factors may signal a higher risk of violent behaviour among
schizophrenia. An effective management strategy at reducing of such risk factors may
require an integration of community service, substance abuse management and optimal
antipsychotic treatment.
Description
Keywords
Violent behaviour, schizophrenia.