Table 1 Comparison of characteristics of urban and rural individuals with schizophrenia from China (2001–2005)

Characteristic

Urban (N = 86)

Rural (N = 240)

t (df)

p⁺

n

mean (sd)

n

mean (sd)

Age

86

44.7 (14.4)

240

43.0 (13.0)

t(324) = 1.01

0.331

Years of schooling

86

8.8 (3.6)

240

5.4 (3.9)

t(324) = 7.27

< 0.001

Age of onset

81

30.8 (11.3)

217

29.9 (10.6)

t(296) = 0.63

0.527

Duration of illness (years)

81

14.1 (11.7)

217

12.5 (10.5)

t(296) = 1.18

0.240

Global Assessment of Function (GAF) score

86

45.3 (16.1)

239

43.2 (14.3)

t(323) = 1.13

0.261

Characteristic

Urban

Rural

Z

p⁺

n

median (IQR)

n

median (IQR)

Number co-resident family members¹

81

2.0 (2.0–3.0)

222

3.0 (2.0–3.0)

Z = 1.65

0.099

Annual per capita family income ($US)*¹

86

486 (316–759)

238

194 (121–316)

Z = 8.39

< 0.001

Characteristic

Urban

Rural

X² (df)

p⁺

n/N

%

n/N

%

Sex

X² (1)=0.59

0.442

  Male

45/86

52.3%

114/240

47.5%

  Female

41/86

47.7%

126/240

52.5%

Marital Status

X² (1)=5.52

0.019

  Currently unmarried

44/86

51.2%

88/240

36.7%

  Currently married

42/86

48.8%

152/240

63.3%

Occupation

X² (1)=147.57

< 0.001

  Employed

19/80

23.8%

210/227

92.5%

  Unemployed

61/80

76.2%

17/227

7.5%

Religion

X² (1)=3.14

0.076

  non-religious

77/86

89.5%

195/240

81.2%

  religious**

9/86

10.5%

45/240

18.8%

Has health insurance

X² (1)=13.15

< 0.001

  Yes

44/86

51.2%

67/229

29.3%

  no (self-pay)

42/86

48.8%

162/229

70.7%

Prior psychiatric treatment

X² (2) = 14.05

< 0.001

  prior hospitalization

61/86

70.9%

115/240

47.9%

  only outpatient treatment

10/86

11.6%

62/240

25.8%

  never treated²

15/86

17.5%

63/240

26.3%