THE HAMPSTEAD SCHIZOPHRENIA SURVEY 1991 .2. INCIDENCE AND MIGRATION IN INNER LONDON

Background The previous paper reports a high prevalence of schizophren ia (broad definition) in an inner London area. in this paper we test h ypotheses for this finding and examine the characteristics of people w ith schizophrenia who move frequently Method People with schizophrenia in the Hampstead area were identified by key informant methodology, a t two censuses five years apart. This allowed identification of incide nt cases during these five years and identification of people who had moved into and out of the area. Results The incidence of DSM-III-R sch izophrenia in Hampstead between 1986 and 1991 was at least 0.21 per 10 00 of the population aged 15 to 54. There was a significant movement o f people with schizophrenia to this in ner London area from outer Lond on between 1986 and 1991. People with schizophrenia who were relativel y mobile were significantly more likely to be male, to suffer with pro minent hallucinations, and to have no contact with a GP. Conclusions T he high prevalence of broad schizophrenia in this inner London area is , in part, due to geographical drift. A significant excess of the peop le with schizophrenia who move frequently are men with positive sympto ms.