Gender and obstetric factors in the determination of the age of onset of schizophrenia in a Nigerian cohort

J Abnorm Psychol. 2019 Apr;128(3):256-262. doi: 10.1037/abn0000386. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Abstract

The importance of gender and obstetric factors as predictors of the age of onset of schizophrenia is debatable. Unfortunately, there is a significant dearth of studies in developing countries such as Nigeria. This study involved a survey of patients with schizophrenia (n = 1,445; N = 2,393), from March 2014 to March 2016, from a psychiatric hospital in southwest Nigeria. Structured diagnostic interviews were used to confirm diagnosis. Females had a higher age of onset (M = 34.91, SD = 15.52) compared with males (M = 28.78, SD = 10.62; p = .00, M = 32.74 ± 12.96). Gender and marital status were the only variables significantly related to the age of onset (p = .00). Our model predicted 10.1% of the variability in the determination of the age of onset of schizophrenia. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Age of Onset
  • Birth Order / psychology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Maternal Age
  • Middle Aged
  • Nigeria / epidemiology
  • Paternal Age
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / epidemiology*
  • Pregnancy Complications / psychology
  • Schizophrenia / epidemiology*
  • Sex Factors