Health Behaviors and Health Status of Older Women With Schizophrenia

The authors interviewed 43 women with schizophrenia who were 40 to 70 years of age about their health status, preventive health care, addictive behaviors, and comorbid medical conditions. Data were compared with those for age-matched samples from the general population. Thirty women in the study sample (71 percent) were overweight or obese, compared with 38 percent in the general population. Twenty-seven (63 percent) smoked cigarettes. Twenty-six women (62 percent) had received a mammogram in the past two years, compared with 86 percent in the general population. Rates of routine physical examinations and Pap tests did not differ markedly between the study sample and the general population. These results highlight the health impairments of older women who have schizophrenia.