Citation

Hend E, Haifa Z, Rim R, Majda C, Afif B. Tunis. Med. 2012; 90(3): 214-218.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Societe Tunisienne Des Sciences Medicales)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

22481192

Abstract

Background: Schizophrenia does not involve the same risk of violence among women than men. The offensive and criminal acts were less studied in women. Aims: To raise the sex ratio of the criminal acts and to seek the characteristics and the risk factors of this female violence. Methods: We carried out a comparative descriptive retrospective study, including 107 patients having schizophrenia according to criteria's of the DSM IV, hospitalized due to insanity according to article 38 of the Tunisian Penal Code. Results: The sex ratio was 1 woman for 10 men. The women were older at the time of the offence or criminal act (46 years, 39 years), men were more often unmarried or divorced (50% vs 89.7%) and had more psychiatric family history (30% vs 40,2%). The duration of untreated psychoses was longer among women (65.3 months vs 22.4 months). The women more often made homicides or attempts of homicides (70%, 33%), the infanticides were raised only among women and arsons were noted only among men. The hospitalization was significantly longer among women (18.8 monthsvs 11.2 months). Conclusion: The preventive of offence and criminal acts in schizophrenia is also necessary among women as men.

Language: en