Prevalence and correlates of diabetes in national schizophrenia samples

People with schizophrenia may be at increased risk for Type II diabetes bec ause of the side effects of antipsychotic medication, poorer overall physic al health, less healthy lifestyles, and poorer health care. The present stu dy uses data bases collected by the Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT) to assess the prevalence and demographic and clinical correlat es of diabetes within large populations of persons receiving treatment for schizophrenia. In the Schizophrenia PORT, Medicaid and Medicare data from 1 991 and more recent interview data were collected regarding the comorbidity of schizophrenia and diabetes: prevalence, quality of life, physical healt h, and services utilization and costs. The study found that rates of diagno sed diabetes exceeded general population statistics well before the widespr ead use of the new antipsychotic drugs. Risk factors for diabetes were simi lar to those observed in the general population. The linkage of diabetes to poor physical health, medical morbidity, and increased service use and cos t requires attention. This study of diabetes in the early 1990s suggests th at even before the widespread use of the atypical antipsychotic drugs, diab etes was a major problem for persons with schizophrenia.