Association of Family History of Psychosis with Long-term Outcome in Schizophrenia – the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 Study

Abstract

Introduction

We have previously investigated the association between family history of psychosis and long-term outcome in schizophrenia in a systematic review and found no studies that focused on social outcome.

Objectives

To study effect of family history on long-term occupational, social, clinical and global outcome in schizophrenia.

Aims: In this study we aimed to investigate how family history affects long-term occupational, social, clinical and global outcome in schizophrenia in a population-based cohort study.

Methods

Sixty nine persons with schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 were examined at around 43 years of age, in average 17 years since onset of psychosis. A Strauss-Carpenter Outcome Scale –interview was conducted to gather information regarding occupational, social, clinical and global outcome. The family history of psychosis was examined based on register data and interviews.

Results

Seventeen (24.6%) of the schizophrenia cases had family history of psychosis. The presence of family history of psychosis did not associate statistically significantly to occupational (FH+ vs FH-: mean 24.9 vs. 28.4; p = 0.470), social (34.5 vs. 33.2; p = 0.811), clinical (29.9 vs. 33.4; p = 0.510) or global outcome (22.2 vs. 22.7; p = 0.827).

Conclusions

This was the first original study on effects of family history of psychosis on long-term social outcome in schizophrenia. We did not find statistically significant association between family history of psychosis and long-term outcome in schizophrenia. Since the number of subjects with family history of psychosis was quite low, a study with larger sample size is desirable.