ESTIMATING THE MEDICAL UNMET NEED AND BURDEN OF NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA
Author(s)
Sydney J. Tran, PhD1, Pin Xiang, PharmD2, Ryan Berry, MD3, Mohsin Ali, MD3, Corey Cronrath, DO, MPH, MBA, FAAPL, FACOEM3, Charles Ruetsch, PhD1;
1Health Analytics LLC, Ellicott City, MD, USA, 2Boehringer Ingelheim, Monterey Park, CA, USA, 3Mental Health Cooperative, Nashville, TN, USA
1Health Analytics LLC, Ellicott City, MD, USA, 2Boehringer Ingelheim, Monterey Park, CA, USA, 3Mental Health Cooperative, Nashville, TN, USA
OBJECTIVES: Schizophrenia affects between 0.3% - 0.6% of the U.S. population, represents over $343 billion in costs and clinical outcomes are difficult to measure with administrative data. There are currently no FDA approved medications for negative symptoms (e.g., amotivation, asociality; NS) and no diagnosis code. To assess the real-world burden of NS upon patient function and care delivery, it was necessary to perform collaborative research with a health system.
METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of the burden of NS among patients with schizophrenia (N=31) with well-controlled positive symptoms and their behavioral health providers was conducted at a behavioral health safety net organization.
RESULTS: Patients were male (65%), over age 45 (65%), Black (84%), had Medicaid insurance (90%), had a paid caregiver (84%), and not seeking employment (84%). Comorbid psychiatric disorders included substance use disorder (13%) and anxiety (6%). Patient-reported NS: amotivation (51%), anhedonia (48%), and asociality (48%). Providers reported higher prevalence of NS compared to patient self-report including one or more NS (84%), amotivation (68%; n.s.), apathy (68%), and asociality (74%; n.s.). Patients reported limitations with visiting healthcare providers (68%), transportation (68%), housekeeping (58%), needing prompts for taking medications (55%), telephone use (45%), shopping (45%), handling finances (45%), meal preparation (39%), laundry (29%), and medication dispensing (20%). Patients who reported > 1 NS were significantly more likely to have functional limitations with telephone use and housekeeping (p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant associations between provider reported NS and patient reported limitations in function.
CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the burden of NS of schizophrenia with 84% of individuals surveyed having one or more NS. Patient self-reported NS were significantly associated with limitations in functioning. This study demonstrates the value of collaborative research to collect and analyze data not present in standard administrative datasets.
METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of the burden of NS among patients with schizophrenia (N=31) with well-controlled positive symptoms and their behavioral health providers was conducted at a behavioral health safety net organization.
RESULTS: Patients were male (65%), over age 45 (65%), Black (84%), had Medicaid insurance (90%), had a paid caregiver (84%), and not seeking employment (84%). Comorbid psychiatric disorders included substance use disorder (13%) and anxiety (6%). Patient-reported NS: amotivation (51%), anhedonia (48%), and asociality (48%). Providers reported higher prevalence of NS compared to patient self-report including one or more NS (84%), amotivation (68%; n.s.), apathy (68%), and asociality (74%; n.s.). Patients reported limitations with visiting healthcare providers (68%), transportation (68%), housekeeping (58%), needing prompts for taking medications (55%), telephone use (45%), shopping (45%), handling finances (45%), meal preparation (39%), laundry (29%), and medication dispensing (20%). Patients who reported > 1 NS were significantly more likely to have functional limitations with telephone use and housekeeping (p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant associations between provider reported NS and patient reported limitations in function.
CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the burden of NS of schizophrenia with 84% of individuals surveyed having one or more NS. Patient self-reported NS were significantly associated with limitations in functioning. This study demonstrates the value of collaborative research to collect and analyze data not present in standard administrative datasets.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-05, ISPOR 2026, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue S6
Code
PCR174
Topic
Patient-Centered Research
Topic Subcategory
Patient-reported Outcomes & Quality of Life Outcomes