Schizophrenia is a serious mental health disorder that has a lifetime population risk of nearly 1%. It typically begins in early adulthood and is a major cause of disability. Schizophrenia outcomes vary, ranging from slight to severe disability. For affected individuals and their families, schizophrenia can be devastating. Repeated hospitalizations, crises, and serious medical illnesses commonly disrupt the lives of people with schizophrenia. Age-specific all-cause mortality rates in schizophrenia are more than 3 times higher than in the general population. Many people with schizophrenia have substantial social and functional impairments that contribute to high rates of homelessness, unemployment, disability, and incarceration. Globally, schizophrenia is among the top 10 causes of years lost due to disability.
