Social Class and Prognosis in Schizophrenia. Part II

Effect of social class at birth on risk and presentation of schizophrenia: case-control study

“…However, Cooper found no support for this hypothesis,26 and in our region the community service is more focused on people from lower socioeconomic groups. Furthermore, once patients present to the psychiatric service there is little if any social class gradient in time to first diagnosis.…”

The schizophrenias: operational definitions

“…Our findings in Edinburgh show a similar bias towards Classes 1-111 for male schizophrenics under 35 jears (Forrest & Hay, 1971). Contrawise, long-term schizophrenics show a heavy bias toward Class V (Cooper, 1961 ;Forrest et al, 1962). AND A. J. HAY But surely this is at least partly the result of the differing use of services by different segments of the population such that a Class V subject, unable to work because of the effects of his illness, will gravitate into a long-stay ward while a Class I subject will more likely be supported by his family.…”

Psychosis with good prognosis in Afro-Caribbean people now living in the United Kingdom

“…These studies, however, have had limited power because of small numbers of patients, retrospective study designs,3 4 or short follow up periods 5. The studies have not controlled for confounders such as social class or age at onset of illness 3 4 5 6. They have also relied on cross sectional clinical information rather than on longitudinal clinical data from the whole follow up period.…”