Objective: We aimed to investigate the difference in socio-demographic features, clinical symptoms, functioning level and relationship between those variables according to gender among bipolar patients with manic episode.
Methods: One hundred men and 100 women between ages 18 and 65, who met DSM-IV criteria for the last-episode of mania in the course of bipolar disorder and required inpatient treatment were recruited. We excluded those who had comorbid mental disorders or history of alcohol and drug abuse or dependence. Patients were assessed by Socio-demographic Evaluation Questionnaire, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Young Mania Rating Scale, Bipolar Disorder Functioning Questionnaire and List for Evaluating Sleep, Libido and Eating Behaviors.
Results: Marriage rate, presence of triggering life events, scores of subscale evaluating household relations were found significantly higher in women. Competence of working, libido and subscales evaluating sexual functioning, participation to social activities, hobbies and occupation were found significantly higher in men. Libido was decreasing with age in women, while it was stable in men. Age of onset for the disease in men was significantly related with their intellectual functioning subscale scores. Marriage was associated with lower scores of subscales evaluating participation to social activities, daily activities, hobbies and taking initiative, self sufficiency in women and feeling of stigma in men.
Conclusions: As a result of the study, certain gender differences were found in socio-demographic features, clinic symptoms, disease severity and functioning of bipolar patients with manic episode. Those differences may stem from both physiological and cultural factors.
Key words: Bipolar disorder, gender difference, mania
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