SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC AND CLINICAL-VARIABLES AS PREDICTORS OF THE DIAGNOSTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF FIRST EPISODES OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

This paper examines the association of clinical and sociodemographic f actors, including age and sex, with the diagnostic characteristics of first episodes of schizophrenia. The study included all patients with a first episode of schizophrenia who made contact with any of the publ ic mental health services of the Autonomous Region of Cantabria in Nor thern Spain over a period of 2 years. Diagnostic characteristics were determined using the Spanish version of the Present State Examination (PSE-9), and the Scales for the Assessment of Positive and Negative Sy mptoms (SAPS and SANS, respectively). The study confirms that the onse t of schizophrenia tends to occur earlier in men than in women. Howeve r, neither sex nor age of onset were found to be associated with the c linical and psychopathological characteristics of the patients as esta blished by the PSE-CATEGO-ID system. Furthermore, no other factors wer e found to be associated with these diagnostic characteristics. Being female, having a family history of mental illness, and a poor premorbi d adjustment were found to predict negative symptoms as defined by SAN S/SAPS scales.