Health economics of schizophrenia in Germany

This paper presents a survey of economic analyses of schizophrenia in Germa ny. A recently published cost-of-illness study demonstrates the high financ ial burden to society caused by the disease. Ambulatory care and medication were remarkably less costly than in-patient treatment. Several other studi es show that continuous in-patient treatment is less cost-effective than co mplementary care in the community. Two pharmaco-economic models evaluate dr ugs with special focus on long-term treatment. Drugs with better compliance rates seem to produce savings in the health care system by less hospital a dmissions, even if the drug is more expensive than other medication. In addition to the survey the problems of economic analysis of psychiatric disorders in Germany are discussed. There are difficulties caused by the st ructure of the German health care system. Other problems emerge from the me asurement of outcomes, effectiveness, utilities and quality of life in psyc hiatric disorders.