Socioeconomic characteristics of a Dunedin sample of bipolar patients

In order to determine the sociodemographic characteristics of people suffering from bipolar affective disorder, a cohort of hospitalised adult patients was compared with the general New Zealand population. A review of the casenotes of all those treated in Dunedin's psychiatric inpatient facilities between 1 January 1985 and 31 December 1987 identified 50 women and 41 men. Although their age structure did not differ from the general population, more bipolar patients were unmarried, either never married or divorced. These hospitalised bipolar patients held more secondary school qualifications than the average New Zealander but their subsequent employment record was statistically poorer. A majority were social welfare beneficiaries. Often thought to be a relatively benign condition, bipolar affective disorder has serious and destructive influences on marital and occupational function.