Mortality and long-term course in schizophrenia with a poor 2-year course: a study in a developing country

The short-term course of schizophrenia is reported to be better in some developing country settings. The long-term course in such settings, however, has rarely been studied.

To examine the long-term course and mortality of schizophrenia in patients with a poor 2-year course.

The report is based on two incidence cohorts of first-contact patients in urban and rural Chandigarh, India, originally recruited for the World Health Organization Determinants of Outcome of Severe Mental Disorders study. Patients were assessed using standardised instruments at 2- and 15-year follow-ups.

Ninety-two per cent of the patients with a poor 2-year course had a poor long-term course and 47% died - a nine times higher mortality rate than among patients with other 2-year course types.

In this developing country setting, a poor 2-year course was strongly predictive of poor prognosis and high mortality, raising questions about the adequacy of care for such patients.