Gender differences in the young-onset persistent delusional disorder

Rashmi Arasappa; Nellai K Chithra; Karishma R Kulkarni; Krishna Prasad Muliyala; Pratima Murthy; Muralidharan Kesavan

doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2023.103653

Gender differences in the young-onset persistent delusional disorder

Asian J Psychiatr. 2023 Aug:86:103653. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2023.103653. Epub 2023 May 24.

Authors

Rashmi Arasappa¹, Nellai K Chithra², Karishma R Kulkarni³, Krishna Prasad Muliyala⁴, Pratima Murthy⁴, Muralidharan Kesavan⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Electronic address: ras3476@nimhans.ac.in.
² Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
³ Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka, India.

PMID: 37270876
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2023.103653

Abstract

We conducted a retrospective chart review to examine the gender differences in young onset Persistent Delusional Disorder (PDD) subjects (N = 236) with onset of illness before the age of 30 years. Gender differences in marital and employment status were significant (p-0.001). Delusion of infidelity and erotomania were more common in females, while males had more body dysmorphic and persecutory delusions (X²-20.45, p-0.009). Males had more substance dependence (X²-21.31, p < 0.001), as well as a family history of substance abuse and PDD (X²-18.5, p < 0.01). To conclude, gender differences in PDD comprised some psychopathology, co-morbidity, and family history among those with young onset PDD.

Keywords: Delusional disorder; Gender difference; Persistent delusional disorder; Psychosis; Young onset.

MeSH terms

Adult
Comorbidity
Delusions* / epidemiology
Female
Humans
Male
Retrospective Studies
Schizophrenia, Paranoid / epidemiology
Sex Factors
Substance-Related Disorders*