New research finds that adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders have high rates of comorbid mental and substance use disorders and significant social and economic disadvantages, and only 26% received minimally adequate treatment. Meeting the needs of people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders will require innovative interventions and implementation to improve access to and use of evidence-based approaches, the authors argue. The research was published today in Psychiatric Services in Advance.
The researchers, led by Natalie Bareis, Ph.D., with Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, examined national data that were collected from Oct.
2020 to Oct. 2022 on 4,764 adults aged 18 to 65 in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency-sponsored U.S.
Mental and Substance Use Disorders Prevalence Study (MDPS). Using sampling weights, the authors compared sociodemographic characteristics and comorbid behavioral health conditions of individuals with or without schizophrenia spectrum disorders (schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and schizophreniform disorders). Among 114 adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, the most common comorbid conditions were major depressive episode (52%) and alcohol use (23%), cannabis use (20%), and posttraumatic stress disorders (17%).
Both suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in the past year were significantly more likely among individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders than among thos.