Review Care for Women with Delusional Disorder: Towards a Specialized Approach Alexandre González-Rodríguez 1,* , Mary V. Seeman 2 , Aida Álvarez 3, Armand Guàrdia 3, Nadia Sanz 3, Genís F. Fucho 3, Diego J. Palao 1 and Javier Labad 4 1 Department of Mental Health, Parc Tauli University Hospital, Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), I3PT, CIBERSAM, Sabadell, 08280 Barcelona, Spain; [email protected] 2 Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 605 260 Heath Street West, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; [email protected] 3 Department of Mental Health, Parc Tauli University Hospital, Sabadell, 08280 Barcelona, Spain; [email protected] (A.Á.); [email protected] (A.G.); [email protected] (N.S.); gff[email protected] (G.F.F.) 4 Department of Mental Health, Consorci Sanitari del Maresme, CIBERSAM, 08304 Mataró, Spain; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 11 December 2020; Accepted: 11 January 2021; Published: 15 January 2021 Abstract: Delusional disorder is a difficult-to-treat clinical condition with health needs that are often undertreated. Although individuals with delusional disorder may be high functioning in daily life, they suffer from serious health complaints that may be sex-specific. The main aim of this narrative review is to address these sex-specific health needs and to find ways of integrating their management into service programs. Age is an important issue. Delusional disorder most often first occurs in middle to late adult life, a time that corresponds to menopause in women, and menopausal age correlates with increased development of both somatic and psychological health problems in women. It is associated with a rise in the prevalence of depression and a worsening of prior psychotic symptoms. Importantly, women with delusional disorder show low compliance rates with both psychiatric treatment and with medical/surgical referrals. Intervention at the patient, provider, and systems levels are needed to address these ongoing problems. Keywords: psychosis; delusional disorder; women; health care; sex-specific treatment 1. Introduction For several decades, epidemiological studies have consistently reported gender differences in the expression of mental disorders [1]. The prevalence of some common mental disorders such as mood disorders, anxiety and somatoform disorders are reported to be substantially higher in women than in men while substance use disorders are higher in men [1,2]. In general, male/female ratios in the frequency and severity of psychiatric problems vary with age [2]. For instance, during adolescence, girls are more likely than boys to show depressive symptoms and eating disorders, to present clinically with suicidal ideation, and to attempt suicide [3]. In adulthood, the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders remains higher in women than in men, while the number of men with substance use disorders substantially outstrips that of women. On the other hand, in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, no consistent gender differences in prevalence have been noted [3,4]. While the occurrence rate of bipolar disorder is similar in the two sexes, women are more likely to seek help from mental health services than men are [5]. Ages of onset often vary. In schizophrenia, psychotic symptoms, on average, start a few years later in women than in men [6]. Prevalence and onset age aside, in the context of many psychotic illnesses, optimal care for women differs from that for men [7]. Some of the critical issues regarding sex-specific health needs involve Women 2021, 1, 46–59; doi:10.3390/women1010004 www.mdpi.com/journal/women Women 2021, 1 47 social status in one’s society, ease of access to quality health care, exposure to reproductive casualty and the stresses of parenting and care taking. There are also inherent differences between males and females with respect to pharmacological response to treatment or to endocrine, metabolic, immune, and cardiovascular vulnerabilities [7,8]. Although comparably rich research has been focused on various aspects of health in women with other illnesses, little is known about the specific health needs of women with delusional disorder (DD). Because DD is a schizophrenia-related disorder, many gender-specific health needs may prove similar to those that apply to schizophrenia but as mentioned above, sex-specific needs change with age and the two disorders, DD and schizophrenia, characteristically affect women of different ages [3,8]. In this paper, we cover a gap in the clinical/academic literature by focusing on the specific health needs of women with DD. At the end, we will propose a program of service that focuses on the comprehensive care of these women. The aim of this narrative, non-systematic review is to address some important questions concerning the management of women with DD that places special importance on sex-specific health needs. The main questions to be addressed are: (A) Do women with DD have particular health needs different from those of men? (B) Do women with DD need sex-specific monitoring of potential comorbidities? (C) What are the specific recommendations for clinicians caring for women with DD? (D) Is a gender-specific focus reasonable for women with DD? 2. Method Electronic searches were conducted through the PubMed database for English, Spanish, German or French papers that referred in their titles or abstracts to gender and health needs in patients with DD. Papers were only included if they were focused on health outcomes (physical illness) or described the occurrence of physical comorbidities in DD populations. The following keywords were used: women AND (health OR care) AND psychosis. Of papers that were retrieved, those published in the last decade were first included; classic papers frequently cited were subsequently also added. Google Scholar was also searched to add relevant papers in the field not found in the PubMed database. The screening and selection processes were undertaken by AGR and AA. Several hundred titles and abstracts were scanned; most were excluded as they did not address health needs in patients with DD. Figure1 shows the methodological procedure and results from the selection process. In some cases, full-text documents of selected abstracts were not available. After screening all accessible full-text papers, a total of 65 records were identified as relevant to our questions (Figure1). Women 2021, 1 48 Women 2021, 1, FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 13 PubMed Other sources (n= 1433) (n= 47) Records after duplicates removed Identification Identification (n = 1480) Records excluded after Records screened abstracts were read (n = 1480) (n= 1378) Screening Full-text articles assessed for Full-text documents eligibility excluded: failed to meet (n = 102) inclusion criteria Eligibility Eligibility (n = 37) Studies included in narrative review Included Included (n = 65) Figure 1. Flowchart for studies inclusion. Figure 1. Flowchart for studies inclusion. 3.3. Gender Gender Di Differencesfferences in in Delusional Delusional Disorder Disorder PerhapsPerhaps because because gender gender di ffdifferenceserences in DDin DD have have been been under-investigated, under-investigated, debate debate has arisen has arisen with respectwith respect to demographics to demographics [9]. While [9]. DSM-5 While [ 10DSM-5] reports [10] no reports major genderno major diff erencesgender indifferences the prevalence in the orprevalence incidence ofor DD,incidence study of results DD, dependstudy results on the depe studynd designon the andstudy methodology design and used.methodology In other used. words, In theother estimate words, of the prevalenceestimate of or the incidence prevalence of DD or isin influencedcidence of byDD the is settinginfluenced from by which the setting the sample from iswhich recruited the (prison,sample is community, recruited (prison, inpatient community, units) and inpatient which diagnostic units) and criteria which were diagnostic applied criteria (e.g., prospective,were applied retrospective) (e.g., prospect [9].ive, retrospective) [9]. SeveralSeveral authors authors have have reported reported that that DD, DD, in in elderly elderly populations, populations, is is more more often often found found in in women women thanthan in in men, men, but but this this has has not not invariably invariably been been replicated replicated [11 [11,12].,12]. ThereThere are are several several subtypes subtypes of of DD. DD. The The persecutory persecutory subtype subtype is is the the most most frequent, frequent, but but this this fact, fact, too,too, depends depends on on sample sample characteristics characteristics and and the the setting setting of of the the investigation investigation [12 [12–14].–14]. With With regard regard to to gendergender di ffdifferenceserences in thein contentthe content of the expressedof the expres delusions,sed delusions, several studies several have studies reported have erotomanic reported delusionserotomanic to bedelusions more common to be more in womencommon than in wome in menn than [14], in whereas men [14], others whereas have notothers found have any not found any statistically significant gender differences in the content of delusions. Table 1 shows DSM-5 criteria for DD and subtypes of DD according to the content of delusions. Women 2021, 1 49 statistically significant gender differences in the content of delusions. Table1 shows DSM-5 criteria for DD and subtypes of DD according to the content of delusions. Table 1. DSM-5 criteria and subtypes of DD. DSM-5 Criteria for DD Diagnostic