Subjection to violence and perpetration of violence are the key outcomes in persons with psychiatric disorders. However, the occurrence and prevalence of these outcomes are yet to be clarified. This study aims to investigate the association of psychiatric disorders and the risk of violence.
This is a nationwide cohort study that included a total of 250,419 individuals with common psychiatric disorders, like schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety. In addition, 194,788 siblings as control individuals without psychiatric disorders were also included. The primary outcome of the study was the subjection to violence and perpetration of violence, measured using stratified Cox regression models.
The findings suggested that individuals with psychiatric disorders were more likely to be subjected to violence (7.1 per 1,000 person-years) and to perpetrate violence (7.5 per 1,000 person-years) when compared with non-psychiatric individuals. After multiple adjustments, patients with psychiatric disorders were found to be 3-4 times more likely to engage in violence than their siblings with no psychiatric disorders. The diagnosis of all psychiatric disorders, apart from schizophrenia, was associated with violence.
The research concluded that individuals with psychiatric disorders are three to four times more likely to be subjected to or perpetrate violence than their siblings.
Ref: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2758324?resultClick=1
