3 Patients with treatment-refractory schizophrenia often become severely functionally impaired, and the illness burden in terms of emotional and economic consequences is staggering. Schizophrenia per se imposes an enormous economical and emotional burden on society. The illness burden is even more severe for treatment-resistant patients. These latter patients are often severely functionally impaired and socially marginalised. They require disproportionately more hospitalisations and utilisation of other health care services.
Quality of life is usually very poor.
Also, the quality of life of families and caregivers is negatively affected when patients remain chronically ill and dysfunctional. View the complete article.