Schizophrenia revisited: consensus and confusion

ABSTRACT

There is no consensus on the rates of schizophrenia among ethnic groups at home in the Caribbean and abroad. Investigations of gender and ethnic differences on the rates of first contact outpatients with schizophrenia in two geographically different areas in Trinidad are reported. In a prospective study, 134 first contact patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were selected from two catchment areas in east and Central Trinidad. Almost fifty seven percent (56.7%) of the tested population was of African origin, 32.1% of Indian descent. Gender differences were significant with males accounting for 66.4% 9n=89) of patients with schizophrenia (Chi-square =14.448, df = 1, p=0.0001). Further analysis by age categories revealed significant male predominance at the 20-24 (p=0.0001) and 25-29 (p=0.002 age groups. There was a predominance of young African males (15-19 years, p=0.049) in the east compared to central. The findings revealed an excess of Afro-Trinidadian men in both outpatient clinics (p<0.05).