Self-Reported Diagnoses of Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders May Be Valuable for Monitoring and Surveillance

Abstract

Objective: To examine whether a plausible estimate of the prevalence of schizophrenia can be obtained with a self-report item in a health survey. Methods: We estimated a self-reported prevalence of schizophrenia, using a grouped variable for all people who reported schizophrenia or any other psychotic disorder in the Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health and Well-Being ( n = 36 984). Estimates were stratified according to age, sex, and province of residence. Results: Of survey respondents, 411 (1.1%) reported having schizophrenia or other psychosis, as diagnosed by a health professional; the weighted and adjusted estimate was 0.9% (0.7% to 1.0%). There was no statistical evidence that the prevalence estimates of schizophrenia and other psychosis varied by age, sex, or province of residence. Conclusions: Additional studies incorporating a gold standard diagnostic interview should be carried out to determine the validity of the approach. However, responses to 2 self-report survey items provide what appears to be a plausible epidemiologic pattern.