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Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia Burden Projected to Rise by 2025, Especially in China

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

According to a recent report, the global burden of schizophrenia is expected to increase by 2030, with China experiencing a particularly sharp rise. The study, conducted by researchers at the Hubei University of Medicine, analyzed data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate the incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of schizophrenia from 1990 to 2021. The findings indicate that while the global age-standardized incidence rate decreased from 1990 to 2021, the global age-standardized prevalence and DALY rates increased, with estimated annual percentage change (EAPCs) of 0.12 and 0.04, respectively. China's age-standardized prevalence and DALY rates also increased, with EAPCs of 0.12 and 0.04, but the global age-standardized incidence rate decreased, with an EAPC of -0.04.

Key Takeaways:

  • The global burden of schizophrenia is projected to increase by 2030, with a rising trend in both global and Chinese schizophrenia prevalence, incidence, and DALYs from 2020 to 2030.
  • In 2021, the global prevalence of schizophrenia was approximately 13.60 million cases, with an age-standardized rate of 275.78 per 100,000 population.
  • China's prevalence in 2021 was about 5.30 million cases (300.81 per 100,000), with an incidence of 236,175 cases (18.36 per 100,000) and DALYs of 3.40 million (203.88 per 100,000).
  • The global age-standardized prevalence, incidence, and DALYs are projected to reach 280.36, 15.59, and 177.31 per 100,000, respectively, by 2030.
  • In China, these rates are expected to reach 332.58, 19.87, and 216.67 per 100,000 by 2030.

Statistics:

  • In 2021, the global age-standardized incidence rate of schizophrenia was approximately 15.43 per 100,000.
  • China's age-standardized incidence rate in 2021 was 18.36 per 100,000.
  • The global age-standardized disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of schizophrenia in 2021 totaled 14.80 million, with a rate of 177.75 per 100,000.
  • China's age-standardized DALYs in 2021 totaled 3.40 million, with a rate of 203.88 per 100,000.

Sources:

  • Global burden and prediction study of schizophrenia 1990-2030: comparison with China. BMC Psychiatry, 2025;25(1):955.
  • BMC Psychiatry can be contacted at: Bmc, Campus, 4 Crinan St, London N1 9XW, England.
  • Chen Bai, Dept. of General Surgery, Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Umbilical Cord Blood Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, 442000, People's Republic of China.
  • Additional authors for this research include Zhou Yuan, Yue Li, Jin Zhang, Ping Yu, and Fei Jiang.
  • The publisher of the journal BMC Psychiatry can be contacted at: Bmc, Campus, 4 Crinan St, London N1 9XW, England.

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