American Journal of Epidemiology Advance Access published online on October 10, 2006
American Journal of Epidemiology, doi:10.1093/aje/kwj339
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1 Forensic Psychiatry Research Unit, Queen Mary College, University of London, London, United Kingdom
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. This study measured the prevalence of self-reported violence and associations with psychiatric morbidity in a national household population, based on a cross-sectional survey in 2000 of 8,397 respondents in Great Britain. Diagnoses were derived from computer-assisted interviews, with self-reported violent behavior over the previous 5 years. The 5-year prevalence of nonlethal violence in Britain was 12% (95% confidence interval: 11, 13). The risk of violence was substantially increased by alcohol dependence (odds ratio = 2.72, 95% confidence interval: 1.85, 3.98), drug dependence (odds ratio = 2.63, 95% confidence interval: 1.45, 4.74), and antisocial personality disorder (odds ratio = 6.12, 95% confidence interval: 3.87, 9.66). Low prevalences of these conditions (7%, 4%, and 4%, respectively) contrasted with their relatively high proportions of attributed risk of violence (23%, 15%, and 15%). Hazardous drinking was associated with 56% of all reported violent incidents. Screening positive for psychosis did not independently increase risk (odds ratio = 3.20, 95% confidence interval: 0.35, 29.6). The study concluded that psychiatric morbidity makes a significant public health impact on violence exerted primarily by persons with any personality disorder, substance dependence, and hazardous drinking. Population interventions for violent behavior are appropriate for hazardous drinking as are targeted interventions for substance dependence and antisocial personality disorder. Despite public concern, the risks of violence from persons with severe mental illness were very low.
Received December 22, 2005
Accepted May 9, 2006
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Violence and Psychiatric Morbidity in a National Household Population--A Report from the British Household Survey
Jeremy Coid 1, Min Yang 1 *, Amanda Roberts 1, Simone Ullrich 1, Paul Moran 2, Paul Bebbington 3, Traolach Brugha 4, Rachel Jenkins 2, Michael Farrell 2, Glyn Lewis 5, and Nicola Singleton 6
2 Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London, United Kingdom
3 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Science, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, United Kingdom
4 Department of Psychiatry, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
5 Division of Psychiatry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
6 Home Office, London, United Kingdom
Min Yang, E-mail: m.yang{at}qmul.ac.uk
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J. Coid, M. Yang, A. Roberts, S. Ullrich, P. Moran, P. Bebbington, T. Brugha, R. Jenkins, M. Farrell, and N. Singleton Authors' reply: The British Journal of Psychiatry, February 1, 2007; 190(2): 177 - 178. [Full Text] [PDF]
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