Cost of illness studies for schizophrenia: components, benefits, results, and implications.

Although schizophrenia affects only about 1% of the worldwide population, it is costly to patients, their families, community care centers, hospitals, and society. International cost of illness studies show a wide variation, with annual costs ranging from Australia's $139 million US dollars (1975) to the cost in the United States of $65.2 billion US dollars (1991). Since methodology and assumptions vary widely from study to study and country to country, it is a challenge to directly compare the results of these studies. Nevertheless, the published COI studies reveal several consistent trends. Inpatient care may be the largest cost driver for direct costs, suggesting that relapse prevention is key to reducing healthcare costs. Indirect costs resulting from the patient's and caregiver's inability to fully participate in the work force is extensive due to the debilitating nature of the disease and its early onset. Lastly, when prescription drug costs were reported, they represented no more than 3% of direct cost.