Epidemiology of Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders

Schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders affect approximately 1 % of the global population, with onset typically in late adolescence or early adulthood. Incidence and prevalence vary by region, sex and socioeconomic context, with higher rates often reported in urban and high-income settings. Although age-standardised incidence has shown modest declines in some high-income countries, the absolute number of cases and associated years lived with disability continue to rise as populations age. Heterogeneity in study design and diagnostic criteria contributes to variability in reported estimates, but consistent findings point to a persistent burden of disease that disproportionately affects young adults and males. Early detection, culturally adapted care pathways and integration of real-world data have become critical for planning services. The global significance of these disorders reflects not only direct healthcare costs but also long-term social and occupational impairment.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent work has mapped the burden of schizophrenia across the Middle East and North Africa over the past three decades, demonstrating stable age-standardised prevalence, incidence and years lived with disability despite demographic shifts. In 2019 the region recorded a point prevalence of around 248 per 100 000 and an incidence of approximately 15 per 100 000, with minimal change since 1990. Sociodemographic index correlated positively with disorder burden, and the highest disability rates were found among middle-aged adults. Projections suggest that as life expectancy increases, the absolute number of affected individuals will grow, underlining the need for proactive health system planning tailored to regional contexts.

Epidemiology of Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in epidemiology of schizophrenia and psychotic disorders across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Prevalence: The proportion of a population with a condition at a specified time.

Incidence: The rate of new cases of a disorder occurring in a population over a given period.

Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs): A combined metric reflecting years of healthy life lost due to disability and premature mortality.

Years lived with disability (YLD): The number of years individuals live with a disease, weighted by severity.

Age-standardised rate: A rate adjusted to a standard population age structure to facilitate comparisons across regions and time.

Sociodemographic index (SDI): A composite measure of income, education and fertility used to characterise development levels.

References

1. The burden of schizophrenia in the Middle East and North Africa region, 1990–2019. Scientific Reports (2024).
2. Trends in the incidence and DALYs of schizophrenia at the global, regional and national levels: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences (2020).
3. An evaluation of variation in published estimates of schizophrenia prevalence from 1990─2013: a systematic literature review. BMC Psychiatry (2015).
4. The Global Prevalence of Schizophrenia. PLOS Medicine (2005).
5. Epidemiology of schizophrenia and its management over 8-years period using real-world data in Spain. BMC Psychiatry (2020).
6. Lifetime Prevalence and Correlates of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders in Singapore. Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021).