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Search for the Causes of Schizophrenia pp 3–19Cite as

The 100-Year Epidemiology of Schizophrenia

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Summary

Since Kraepelin delineated dementia praecox as a disease entity construct, epidemiological studies conducted since the beginning of the century have produced remarkably consistent estimates of its prevalence, incidence, and lifetime risk across various populations and geographic areas. A similar pattern emerged from the WHO ten-country study on first-contact incidence of schizophrenia. The diagnostic concept of dementia praecox originally used by Kraepelin and that of schizophrenia employed in the WHO studies were found to overlap extensively, indicating continuity over time. However, the findings of a similar incidence of schizophrenia in diverse populations and across time periods are unusual for a multifactorial disease and are compatible with at least two alternative interpretations which have different implications for the search for genetic and environmental causes of the disorder.

“Reprinted from Schizophrenia Research vol. 28, Jablensky A. The 100-year epidemiology of schizophrenia, 111–125, with permission from Elsevier Science.”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia

    A. Jablensky

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  1. A. Jablensky
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, P.O. Box 3671, 05403-010, São Paul, SP, Brazil

    Wagner F. Gattaz M.D. (Professor and Chairman) (Professor and Chairman)

  2. University of Heidelberg, Germany

    Heinz Häfner (Prof. em. of Psychiatry, Director em., Head) (Prof. em. of Psychiatry, Director em., Head)

  3. Central Institute of Mental Health, Germany

    Heinz Häfner (Prof. em. of Psychiatry, Director em., Head) (Prof. em. of Psychiatry, Director em., Head)

  4. Schizophrenia Research Unit, P.O.Box 122 120, 68072, Mannheim, Germany

    Heinz Häfner (Prof. em. of Psychiatry, Director em., Head) (Prof. em. of Psychiatry, Director em., Head)

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Jablensky, A. (1999). The 100-Year Epidemiology of Schizophrenia. In: Gattaz, W.F., Häfner, H. (eds) Search for the Causes of Schizophrenia. Steinkopff. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-47076-9_1

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