Il costo sociale della schizofrenia. Una rassegna ragionata della bibliografia

In common with all other crironic illness, schizophrenia places a major economic burden all society, ill terms of direct costs (healthcare resources consumption), indirect costs (production losses) and intangible costs (deterioration of patients' and caregivers' quality of life). Of the psychiatric illness, schizophrenia is by far the most costly: it develops early in life, results in high morbidity, and is associated with a high suicide rates. Recently, several analysis have been carried out to elicit the economic costs of the illness. The principal aim of these studies is to provide decision makers with reliable data on the costs of schizophrenia in order to support the health·related decision-making process. However, methodological shortcomings in carrying out Cost-of-Illness (COl) analysis can create confusion and mislead decision-makers. The present paper aims to review some of the most recently published works in the economic costs of schizophrenia in order to highlight the different methodological approaches used by the authors. Large differences have been found in estimating the direct and indirect costs of the illness, preventing thus any comparison between the studies. Besides, some of the approaches used by the analysts have been considered not properly corrected and consistent with the COl methodology.