Abstract
Physical and psychological trauma plays a significant role in the development of serious mental illnesses including psychotic disorders, and these patients are often victims of abuse and violence. It is therefore surprising how limited data about the victimization is available.
We describe how to measure victimization and present data about its occurrence. The Czech results show that the lifetime prevalence of PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) in patients with psychosis was 8 % in males and 15 % in females.
Sexual abuse in childhood was experienced by 32 % of women and 11 % of patients. However, this diagnosis is almost never mentioned in the medical documentation.
Because the consequences of the victimization are not diagnosed, therapeutic intervention are not used either. Victimization is also the strongest predictor of violence.
Currently used prediction tools may underestimate the risk of violent behaviour because they do not pay attention to recent and current victimization. With the ongoing transformation and retention of part of the patients with psychosis in their natural environment, the risk of their victimization is becoming more and more actual, and doctors and non-medical staff need to be familiar with this problem.