Global, regional, and national burden of schizophrenia and its environmental drivers, 1990-2021: Retrospective analysis and projections to 2040.

Authors

Yixin Liu, Xiangyu Fan, Jiayue Yu, Shaonan Tong, Ying Sun, Pu Lei, Liangjia Wang, Min Jia, Xiancang Ma, Lichun Qiao, Peiqi Lu, Hong Li, Xiaoxiu Lun, Yijie Guo

Published in

Journal of environmental sciences (China). Volume 169. Pages 152-163. Epub Apr 01, 2026.

Abstract

Given the global prevalence of schizophrenia (SCZ), it is urgent to elucidate and quantify its burden and clarify its environmental and social influencing factors. This study aimed to quantify the global disease burden of SCZ. It also investigated the causes of regional disparities and the impact of environmental and social factors. This study conducted an extensive analysis of the global, regional and national incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of SCZ. In 2021, there were 1.22 million incident cases, 23.18 million prevalent cases and 14.82 million DALYs. From 1990 to 2021, the global incidence, prevalence, and DALYs of SCZ exhibited consistent upward trends, whereas the age-standardized rates remained stable. The prevalence of SCZ was found to be higher in males and exhibited age-related fluctuations. The highest incidence risk was observed in the 20-24 age group, while the highest DALYs risk was in the 35-39 age group. The highest disease burden of DALYs was observed in East Asia. The study delivered an analysis of the distribution of disease burden at the socio-demographic index level and investigated the impact of environmental factors on regional disparities. Projection analyses indicated a continued escalation in the incidence, prevalence, and DALYs attributable to SCZ by 2040. The disease burden of SCZ has increased since 1990. To mitigate the future impact of SCZ, these findings call for a multi-pronged approach: targeted service planning informed by disease burden, environmental emission reduction, and a renewed clinical focus on early intervention and functional recovery.

PMID:
42822911
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 02 Oct 2026.

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