— Survey reveals 98% of psychiatrists and 81% of caregivers say early warning signs of schizophrenia are not acted on soon enough; failure to recognize the early warning signs is a barrier to receiving care —
— 92% of psychiatrists and 84% of caregivers state delaying intensive treatment for people with schizophrenia does more harm than good —
— 50% of psychiatrists say there is often a hesitancy among psychiatrists to deliver a diagnosis of schizophrenia to young people and their families —
“We hear from families over and over again that although they noticed
their child was not thinking clearly or was withdrawing from social
situations, they did not realize that these behaviors can sometimes be
symptoms of a serious mental illness,” said
Even after being seen by a psychiatrist, there are additional barriers to receiving care for schizophrenia including hesitation on the part of the psychiatrist to deliver a schizophrenia diagnosis and reluctance on the part of families to accept the diagnosis. In fact, half of psychiatrists surveyed (50%) responded that psychiatrists are often hesitant to deliver the diagnosis of schizophrenia to young people and their families. Yet, the vast majority of psychiatrists (92%) and caregivers (84%) believe that delaying intensive treatment for people with schizophrenia does more harm than good.1
There are potentially significant consequences to delaying treatment for schizophrenia, which is a serious and progressive brain disease. With every psychotic episode, individuals may experience a decline in brain function that they can never regain.2
“The results of this survey clearly demonstrate a lack of awareness
among caregivers about the early warning signs of schizophrenia and
highlight some of the underlying barriers to care that prevent
individuals from getting on the path to appropriate treatment sooner,”
said
Additional findings from the survey include:
Delays in Diagnosis of Schizophrenia
- Nearly 9 out of 10 caregivers (86%) say they believed that their loved one would have benefited if more intensive treatment was recommended sooner to manage the disease.
- Psychiatrists estimate that on average, 58% of people experience an acute psychotic episode prior to seeing a psychiatrist for the first time. 85% of caregivers report that their loved ones had the first psychotic episode before seeing a psychiatrist.
Reasons for the Delay in Diagnosis and Treatment of Schizophrenia
- 74% of psychiatrists surveyed indicate that it is common for people with early warning signs of schizophrenia to be diagnosed with another mental illness initially – most commonly psychotic disorder (unspecified), substance abuse and bipolar disorder.
- 76% of psychiatrists say a barrier to patients receiving more intensive treatment is that families do not easily accept a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Perceptions of Schizophrenia Treatment
- 88% of psychiatrists and 83% of caregivers believe the U.S. healthcare system falls short of providing adequate treatment for people living with schizophrenia.
- 96% of psychiatrists and 86% of caregivers believe more can be done to provide people with schizophrenia more intensive treatment sooner.
Survey Methodology
Harris Poll
conducted an online survey on behalf of
For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, and to learn more about the results of the survey, please send requests to mediainfo@alkermes.com.
About Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
is a chronic, debilitating mental illness that affects 2.4 million
Americans and more than 21 million people worldwide.3,4
Schizophrenia often becomes apparent in young adulthood – men usually
develop the illness between the ages of 18–25, while women usually
develop schizophrenia between the ages of 25–35.5 Although
symptoms vary in type and severity among individuals, schizophrenia
typically interferes with a person’s ability to think clearly, manage
emotions, make decisions and relate to others. Approximately one-third
of people with schizophrenia attempt suicide, and 10% of people with
schizophrenia eventually die by suicide.6 Other grave
outcomes include higher rates of incarceration and homelessness.7
About the Early Warning Signs and Symptoms of
Schizophrenia
Initial signs of schizophrenia can include
isolating oneself, sleep problems and irritability; however, a person
with schizophrenia can experience a combination of symptoms – sometimes
severe, other times hardly noticeable. These symptoms typically fall
into three broad categories: positive symptoms, negative symptoms and
cognitive symptoms.
Positive symptoms are psychotic behaviors not experienced by those without the illness that can cause individuals to “lose touch” with reality, such as hallucinations, or seeing, hearing, smelling or feeling things that others cannot.8 Negative symptoms – which are often confused with clinical depression or other conditions – diminish a person’s abilities, leading them to appear emotionally flat or speak in a dull, disconnected way. This can result in difficulty starting or following through with activities, enjoying life and sustaining relationships.9 Cognitive symptoms can be subtle. They include difficulty focusing or paying attention and using information to make a decision immediately after receiving it.8
Screening tests are a way to determine whether someone is experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition. One such screening tool is offered by Mental Health America for young adults who feel an unusual state in their mental health, like their brain is playing tricks on them by seeing, hearing or believing things that do not seem real or quite right.
Following the screening, there is information provided with resources and tools to discuss the results with a healthcare provider.
About Alkermes
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements set forth in this press release constitute
“forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, and, in some
cases, these statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking
terminology such as “may,” “will” “believe,” “feel,” “estimate,” or
other similar words. The company cautions that forward-looking
statements are inherently uncertain. Although the company believes that
such statements are based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of
its knowledge of its business and operations, the forward-looking
statements are neither promises nor guarantees and they are necessarily
subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk. Actual performance and
results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the
forward-looking statements due to various risks and uncertainties.
Unless otherwise indicated, information contained in this press release
concerning schizophrenia is based on information from various sources
(including, without limitation, the Early Intervention in
Schizophrenia survey conducted by Harris Poll, industry
publications, medical and clinical journals and studies, other surveys
and forecasts and the company’s internal research), on assumptions that
the company has made, which the company believes are reasonable, based
on those data and other similar sources and on its knowledge of
schizophrenia. The company’s internal research has not been verified by
any independent source, and the company has not independently verified
any third-party information. These risks and uncertainties and
projections, assumptions and estimates are necessarily subject to a high
degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including,
among others: whether the results of the Early Intervention in
Schizophrenia survey conducted by Harris Poll generally represent
the beliefs and opinions of psychiatrists and caregivers and can be
duplicated; whether the psychiatrists and caregivers surveyed by Harris
Poll will maintain the same beliefs and opinions expressed in the survey
in the future; and those risks described in the
1
2 Baaré W.F., Hulshoff Pol H.E., Boomsma D.I.,
Posthuma D., de Geus E.J., Schnack, H.G., …Kahn, R.S. (2007). Focal gray
matter changes in schizophrenia across the course of the illness: a
5-year follow-up study. Neuropsychopharmacology, 32(10),
2057–2066.
3
4
5
Ochoa, S., Usall J., Cobo J., Labad, X., & Kulkarni, J. (2012). Gender
Differences in Schizophrenia and First-Episode Psychosis: A
Comprehensive Literature Review.
6 Andreasen N.C., & Black D.W. (2006). Introductory
Textbook of Psychiatry (4th ed.). Washington, DC:
7 Treatment Advocacy
Center. Consequences of Non-treatment Fact Sheet. Retrieved
8
9
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151007005431/en/
Source:
Alkermes plc:
For Investors:
Rebecca Peterson, +1 781-609-6378
or
For
Media:
Jennifer Snyder, +1 781-609-6166