The Epidemiology of Schizophrenia

Description

An international team of leading researchers and clinicians here provide the first comprehensive, epidemiological overview of this multi-faceted and still perplexing disorder, and address some of the key questions it raises. How important in the genetic contribution to schizophrenia? Do pregnancy and birth complications increase the risk for schizophrenia? Is the incidence of schizophrenia changing? Why is the rate higher among immigrants and in those born in cities? Controversial issues such as the validity of discrete or dimensional classifications of schizophrenia and the continuum between psychosis and 'normality' are explored in depth, and separate chapters are devoted to topics of particular relevance to schizophrenia such as suicide, violence and substance abuse. Finally, new prospects for treatment and prevention are considered. Drawing together the findings from social, genetic, developmental and classical epidemiology of schizophrenia, this text will prove an invaluable resource for clinicians and researchers.

Professor of Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, London. Born 31/1/1944. Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. Born 24/1/1960. Chair of the Division of Epidemiology at the Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University; and Head of the Epidemiology of Brain Disorders Department at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Born 13/7/1952. Professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, University of Maastricht, The Netherlands. Born 8/4/1060. Senior Lecturer and Wellcome Trust Advanced Research Fellow in the Division of Psychological Medicine at the Institute of Psychiatry, London. Born 2/6/1965.

'This is a refreshing and helpful book that presents an up-to-date and comprehensive understanding of schizophrenia. It is also a great book to learn about the application of epidemiology on mental health.' Doody's 'The Epidemiology of Schizophrenia is the most comprehensive assembly of existing knowledge to date ... This is a volume packed with information ...'. Psychology and Psychiatry 'The Edipemiology of Schizophrenia is a well-written, comprehensive book which provides an overview of the current state of epidemiological knowledge and research in schizophrenia today. ... this book could be recommended both for child/adolescent and adult psychiatrists, working with schizophrenia and schizophrenia-like disorders. Answers to many questions are given, but the book also presents new, interesting questions that need to be answered in the future. This book will fit in the library at the psychiatric clinic. It comprises five interesting parts to read and a lot of references for clinicians or researchers who want to deepen their knowledge further.' European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry