title: Decline in the severity or the incidence of schizophrenia in Japan: A survey of university students.
abstract: Clinical manifestations of schizophrenia are believed to be becoming less severe in Japan, but little evidence supports this theory. We investigated the percentages of undergraduate students attending national universities in Japan who required temporary leave and who dropped out because of schizophrenia in the academic years 1986-1987, 1994-1995, and 2013-2014. The percentages of students who required temporary leave and those who dropped out because of schizophrenia significantly decreased over time. The severity of clinical manifestations of schizophrenia may have decreased, enabling more students with schizophrenia to continue their study, or the incidence of schizophrenia might have declined.
authors.affiliation: University Health Center, Ibaraki University, 2-1-1 Bunkyo, Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture 310-8512 Japan. Electronic address: yasuko.fuse.uhc@vc.ibaraki.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fuse-Nagase
authors.affiliation: Muroran Institute of Technology Health Administration Center, 27-1 Mizumotocho, Muroran, Hokkaido 050-0071 Japan. Electronic address: miura-j@hokuyakudai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.affiliation: Akita University Health Center, 1-1 Tegatagakuenmachi, Akita, Akita Prefecture 010-8502 Japan. Electronic address: namura@gipc.akita-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Ikuro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Namura
authors.affiliation: Health Care Center, Saga University, 1 Honjo-machi, Saga, Saga Prefecture 840-8502 Japan. Electronic address: satot@cc.saga-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Health Support Center, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550 Japan. Electronic address: yasumi@sok.titech.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Katsuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yasumi
authors.affiliation: Suzukakedai Health Support Center, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, 226-8503 Japan. Electronic address: marutani.t.aa@m.titech.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marutani
authors.affiliation: Health Care Center, Kwansei Gakuin, 1-155 Uegahara Ichibancho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture 662-8501 Japan; Support Center for Campus Life, Osaka University, 1-5 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka Prefecture 560-0043 Japan. Electronic address: y.sugita11012@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yoshiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Incidence; Japan; Schizophrenia; Student dropouts; Students