title: The economic burden of schizophrenia in Canada.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the financial burden of schizophrenia in Canada in 1996.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a prevalence-based approach, all direct health care costs, administrative costs of income assistance plans, and costs of incarceration attributable to schizophrenia were determined. Also included was the value of lost productivity associated with premature mortality and morbidity. In addition to using published papers and documents, direct contact was made with representatives from various provincial and federal programs for estimates of the direct health care and non-health care costs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The estimated number of persons with schizophrenia in Canada in 1996 was 221,000, with equal distribution between males and females. The direct health care and non-health care cost was estimated to be $1.12 billion in 1996. In addition, another $1.23 billion in lost productivity associated with morbidity and premature mortality was attributable to schizophrenia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The total financial burden of schizophrenia in Canada was estimated to be $2.35 billion in 1996. The largest category of cost was morbidity (52%), followed by acute care and psychiatric hospital admissions (14% and 10% respectively). Given the magnitude of these cost estimates, there are large potential cost savings with more effective management and control of this debilitating disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario. goereer@fhs.csu.mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goeree
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Goering
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blackhouse
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Agro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004526:Efficiency; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy