Ashima Sharda Mahindra • 26 Sep 2024
Most People In The US With Schizophrenia Are Not Getting Treated, Says Data; Here's Why
High rates of poverty, unemployment, and poor functioning suggest that existing treatment and social welfare approaches are not meeting the needs of many people
Only one in every four US adults struggling with schizophrenia receives "minimally adequate treatment," a new study has found. According to the research, published in the journal Psychiatric Services, most of the patients also struggle with other mental health issues like substance abuse or depression. They are further challenged by social and economic hardship.
The data – comes from the US Mental and Substance Use Disorders Prevalence Study, which surveyed nearly 5,000 adults aged between 18 to 65 years from 2020 to 2022.
The study, led by Dr. Natalie Barles, assistant professor of clinical behavioral medicine at Columbia University in New York City, found that apart from schizophrenia, more than half – 52 per cent of the patients also suffered from serious depression, while 17 per cent had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD – also a mental health condition that develops after someone experiences or witnesses a traumatic event. Doctors also concluded that suicidal thoughts and attempts were much more common among these patients.
Research also said almost a quarter or 23 per cent of these patients had alcohol use disorder, while 20 per cent used cannabis.
Adequate levels of treatment for Schizophrenia are rare
According to the data, healthcare coverage for nearly all the patients was available and more than 70 per cent had received some form of mental health treatment over the prior year. However, Bareis' team said levels of treatment were rare as just 30 per cent of patients were taking antipsychotic medication at the time they were interviewed.However, the treatment of schizophrenia has improved over the past few decades, Bareis and her team noted. "We had hoped that during this period, with the advent of new treatments and services, the circumstances of individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders would have improved," Bareis said in a news release from the American Psychiatric Association.
"Instead, persistently high rates of poverty, unemployment, and poor functioning suggest that existing treatment and social welfare approaches are not meeting the needs of many people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders," she added.
Most schizophrenia patients have serious functional impairment
According to the new data, most adults with schizophrenia were unemployed - and most had "serious functional impairment." However, the team says there is help available for the patients.
"Antipsychotic medications, individual placement and support, programs to promote employment, assertive community treatment, and coordinated specialty care for first-episode psychosis can all work together to help improve the lives of people with schizophrenia,” said the team. However, Bareis states, "Policies to improve access to and use of existing evidence-based interventions are also essential.”
What is schizophrenia and how does it affect?
Experts say schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects a person's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. A few signs and symptoms include:
- Psychotic symptoms which include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and behavior
- Negative symptoms which involve reduced motivation, expression of emotions, and social relationships
- Cognitive impairments like difficulty with memory, mental processing speed, and executive function
What causes schizophrenia?
Even though according to experts, the causes of schizophrenia are not known, risk factors include:
- Imbalances in chemical signals your brain uses for cell-to-cell communication.
- Brain development problems before birth.
- Loss of connections between different areas of your brain.
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