The relationship between marital status and mental illness

The relationship between marital status and mental illness was investigated in a relatively new psychiatric hospital in the Mid-Western State of Nigeria. The results showed a different pattern from what has been reported from other studies. In this study, it was found that single persons had the largest number of referrals, followed closely by married persons. The widowed and divorced had a relatively small number of referrals. There were more male than female patients and there were also sex and age variations in the type of mental disorders. The explanation for this could be related to the social structure of the population, and the legal and social definitions of the concepts of marriage and divorce. It was not possible, because of lack of relevant population data, to compare the hospital rates with those in the population at large. Future work along this line and for over a longer period is suggested.