Older adults with schizophrenia are not a homogenous patient population, with various subgroups that differ significantly in terms of comorbid illness and mortality rates and causes, new research shows.
For example, individuals in a group characterized by substance use disorders (SUDs) had a depression prevalence of about 60% and relatively high death rates from unintentional injury and hepatitis.

Dr Alison Hwong
"The healthcare needs of older adults with schizophrenia can vary widely, so aging persons with schizophrenia can't be considered a uniform population," study investigator Alison Hwong, MD, PhD, University of California San Francisco National Clinicians Scholars Program and SF Veterans Administration, told Medscape Medical News.
"For patients with multiple chronic conditions, we need to be proactive in coordinating specialty care. At the same time, we need novel models of person-centered care to help aging adults with schizophrenia live longer, healthier lives," Hwong added.
The findings were presented at the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP) 2022 Annual Meeting.
Widening Mortality Gap
The life expectancy of patients with schizophrenia is lower by 8-15 years compared with those without schizophrenia and this "mortality gap" has widened in recent years, Hwong noted. Those with schizophrenia also have high rates of healthcare utilization and high direct and indirect health care costs, she added.