Table Des Matières

Abstract

Studies of schizophrenia across cultures have shown that differentgroups present with different symptoms. This study reports ondifferences of symptoms across four ethnic groups. All first contactcases of schizophrenia. over a 2 year period in two catchment areas inLondon were included in a study using PSE-9 as an interview forascertaining their mental sate. Schizophrenia was diagnosed using theCATEGO programme, and symptoms were compared across the four groups.There was a distinction between various groups in presentation ofsymptoms. Whereas London Asian patients (those originating from theIndian subcontinent) were more likely to present with worry andirritability, the African-Caribbeans presented with delusions ofreference and paranoid symptoms. The Trinidadian patients were also morelikely to present with a multitude of non-specific symptoms, eg.worrying and irritability, and delusions of persecution and sexualdelusions were rare in thin group. Our findings suggest that thepresenting symptoms of schizophrenia do vary across culture and, incross-cultural comparison, schizophrenia must be regarded asheterogenous entity.