Poor Insight in Schizophrenia Patients in China: a Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Poor insight exists in all phases of schizophrenia and is associated with poor clinical prognosis and adverse psychosocial functioning. This is a meta-analysis examining the prevalence of poor insight and its correlates in Chinese patients with schizophrenia. Both major international (PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science) and Chinese (WANFANG and CNKI) databases were systematically searched. The pooled prevalence of poor insight was calculated using the random-effects model. A total of 19 studies with 3112 schizophrenia patients were included. The prevalence of poor insight was 43.4% (95%CI: 36.0%-51.2%). Subgroup and meta-regression analyses revealed that the higher prevalence of poor insight was significantly associated with single-site design, smaller sample size, inpatient status, acute illness phase, higher male proportion, younger age, shorter duration of illness, lower study quality, and earlier publication year. Poor insight is common in Chinese schizophrenia patients. Considering the negative outcomes of poor insight, regular screening and effective psychosocial interventions should be delivered for this vulnerable population.