DECREASING RATES OF INCIDENT SCHIZOPHRENIA CASES IN PSYCHIATRIC-SERVICE - A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

A review of the literature shows that the admission rates of new cases of schizophrenia vary with a factor of two to five in North American studies as well as in European studies. Furthermore, the tendency has been decreasing for the last 40-50 years in Europe. Eighteen studies s pecifically analyzing the development over the last 20 years are revie wed. The studies preponderantly show significant decreases most probab ly due to the reduction of the number of available psychiatric beds al ongside the decentralization of psychiatry, and to decreasing virulenc e of schizophrenia. Alternatively, a diagnostic delay of schizophrenia can hardly explain the decrease.