BACKGROUND: Many people with schizophrenia remain untreated in the community. Long-term mortality and suicidal behaviour among never-treated individuals with schizophrenia in the community are unknown. AIMS: To explore 10-year mortality and suicidal behaviour among never-treated individuals with schizophrenia. METHOD: We used data from a 10-year prospective follow-up study (1994-2004) among people with schizophrenia in Xinjin County, Chengdu, China. RESULTS: The mortality rate for never-treated individuals with schizophrenia was 2761 per 100 000 person-years during follow-up. There were no significant differences of rates of suicide and all-cause mortality between never-treated and treated individuals. The standardised mortality ratio (SMR) for never-treated people was 10.4 (95% CI 7.2-15.2) and for treated individuals 6.5 (95% CI 5.2-8.5). Compared with treated people, never-treated individuals were more likely to be older, poorer, have a longer duration of illness, marked symptoms and fewer family members. CONCLUSIONS: The never-treated individuals have similar mortality to and a higher proportion of marked symptoms than treated people, which may reflect the poor outcome of the individuals without treatment. The higher rates of mortality, homelessness and never being treated among people with schizophrenia in low- and middle-income nations might challenge presumed wisdom about schizophrenia outcomes in these countries.
BACKGROUND: Many people with schizophrenia remain untreated in the community. Long-term mortality and suicidal behaviour among never-treated individuals with schizophrenia in the community are unknown. AIMS: To explore 10-year mortality and suicidal behaviour among never-treated individuals with schizophrenia. METHOD: We used data from a 10-year prospective follow-up study (1994-2004) among people with schizophrenia in Xinjin County, Chengdu, China. RESULTS: The mortality rate for never-treated individuals with schizophrenia was 2761 per 100 000 person-years during follow-up. There were no significant differences of rates of suicide and all-cause mortality between never-treated and treated individuals. The standardised mortality ratio (SMR) for never-treated people was 10.4 (95% CI 7.2-15.2) and for treated individuals 6.5 (95% CI 5.2-8.5). Compared with treated people, never-treated individuals were more likely to be older, poorer, have a longer duration of illness, marked symptoms and fewer family members. CONCLUSIONS: The never-treated individuals have similar mortality to and a higher proportion of marked symptoms than treated people, which may reflect the poor outcome of the individuals without treatment. The higher rates of mortality, homelessness and never being treated among people with schizophrenia in low- and middle-income nations might challenge presumed wisdom about schizophrenia outcomes in these countries.
Authors: G Harrison; K Hopper; T Craig; E Laska; C Siegel; J Wanderling; K C Dube; K Ganev; R Giel; W an der Heiden; S K Holmberg; A Janca; P W Lee; C A León; S Malhotra; A J Marsella; Y Nakane; N Sartorius; Y Shen; C Skoda; R Thara; S J Tsirkin; V K Varma; D Walsh; D Wiersma Journal: Br J Psychiatry Date: 2001-06 Impact factor: 9.319
Authors: Christine Montout; Francoise Casadebaig; Rajaa Lagnaoui; Helene Verdoux; Alain Philippe; Bernard Begaud; Nicholas Moore Journal: Schizophr Res Date: 2002-10-01 Impact factor: 4.939
Authors: Jitschak G Storosum; Barbara J van Zwieten; Tamar Wohlfarth; Lieuwe de Haan; Arif Khan; Wim van den Brink Journal: Arch Gen Psychiatry Date: 2003-04
Authors: Alvin H H Wong; Hector W H Tsang; Sally M Y Li; Kelvin M T Fung; Raymond C K Chung; Ada Y Leung; Michael G C Yiu Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2010-10-21 Impact factor: 4.147