Women and schizophrenia: a review

This is a selective review article which aims to explore current areas of research involving women with schizophrenia and to identify areas requiring future research.

Research studies conducted both nationally and internationally are reviewed with an emphasis on a gender-based approach.

The review is divided into three sections. First there is an introduction including a brief consideration of the possible reasons for the noted lack of studies focussing on women with schizophrenia and a summary of the epidemiological evidence that has prompted interest in gender-based schizophrenia research. Second, there is a review of some studies that utilise gender as a paradigm to understand the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, and third, a discussion of the role of gender in management approaches is presented.

The main conclusion is that women have not been well represented in schizophrenia research. Female-specific management issues and a better understanding of the impact of schizophrenia on women require more gender-based research.