Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T08:43:04.283Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Urbanization and psychosis: a study of 1942–1978 birth cohorts in The Netherlands

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 1998

M. MARCELIS ,
F. NAVARRO-MATEU ,
R. MURRAY ,
J.-P. SELTEN  and
J. VAN OS
M. MARCELIS
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht University and Department of Psychiatry, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands; and Department of Psychological Medicine and Social, Genetic and Developmental Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, London
F. NAVARRO-MATEU
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht University and Department of Psychiatry, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands; and Department of Psychological Medicine and Social, Genetic and Developmental Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, London
R. MURRAY
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht University and Department of Psychiatry, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands; and Department of Psychological Medicine and Social, Genetic and Developmental Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, London
J.-P. SELTEN
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht University and Department of Psychiatry, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands; and Department of Psychological Medicine and Social, Genetic and Developmental Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, London
J. VAN OS
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht University and Department of Psychiatry, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands; and Department of Psychological Medicine and Social, Genetic and Developmental Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, London
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background. Urban birth is associated with later schizophrenia. This study examined whether this finding is diagnosis-specific and which individuals are most at risk.

Methods. All live births recorded between 1942 and 1978 in any of the 646 Dutch municipalities were followed-up through the National Psychiatric Case Register for first psychiatric admission for psychosis between 1970 and 1992 (N=42115).

Results. Urban birth was linearly associated with later schizophrenia (incidence rate ratio linear trend (IRR), 1·39; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1·36–1·42), affective psychosis (IRR, 1·18; 95% CI, 1·15–1·21) and other psychosis (IRR, 1·27; 95% CI, 1·24–1·30). Individuals born in the highest category of the three-level urban exposure were around twice as likely to develop schizophrenia. Associations were stronger for men and for individuals with early age of onset. The effect of urban birth was also stronger in the more recent birth cohorts.

Conclusions. There are quantitative differences between diagnostic categories in the strength of the association between urban birth and later psychiatric disorder. High rates of psychosis in urban areas may be the result of environmental factors associated with urbanization, the effect of which appears to be increasing over successive generations.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 28 , Issue 4 , July 1998 , pp. 871 - 879
Copyright
© 1998 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)