The relationship between socioeconomic class and prevalence of schizophrenia, alcoholism, and affective disorders treated by inpatient care in a suburban area

This study relates inpatient-treated prevalence of the three mental illnesses most often requiring inpatient treatment--schizophrenia, alcoholism, and affective disorders--to social class in a suburban area. Rates were developed for the total population, including those living in domiciliary care, for those living in households only, and for first-admission patients living in households. Log-linear models supported the finding that low socioeconomic status was related to a high prevalence of alcoholism and affective disorders. In contrast, socioeconomic status was not related to the prevalence of schizophrenia among those living in households or among first-admission patients living in households.