Emergency Department Visits Related to Schizophrenia Among Adults Aged 18–64: United States, 2009–2011

Schizophrenia is a severe brain disorder with clinical manifestations that may include hallucinations, delusions, and thought and movement disorders.

A new NCHS report describes the rate and characteristics of emergency department (ED) visits related to schizophrenia among adults aged 18–64.

Key Findings from the Report:

• During 2009–2011, an estimated 382,000 ED visits related to schizophrenia occurred each year among adults aged 18–64, with an overall ED visit rate of 20.1 per 10,000 adults.
• The overall rate for ED visits related to schizophrenia for men (26.5 per 10,000) was approximately double the rate for women (13.8 per 10,000).
• Public insurance (Medicaid, Medicare, or dual Medicare and Medicaid) was used more frequently at ED visits related to schizophrenia compared with ED visits not related to schizophrenia.
• About one-half of ED visits related to schizophrenia led to either a hospital admission (32.7%) or a transfer to a psychiatric hospital (16.7%); these percentages were higher than for ED visits not related to schizophrenia.