Schizophrenia Q 4
Which statement is correct about a 25-year-old client with newly diagnosed schizophrenia?
A. Age of onset is typical for schizophrenia.
B. Age of onset is later than usual for schizophrenia.
C. Age of onset is earlier than usual for schizophrenia.
D. Age of onset follows no predictable pattern in schizophrenia.
Correct Answer: A. Age of onset is typical for schizophrenia.
The primary age of onset for schizophrenia is late adolescence through young adulthood (ages 17 to 27). Paranoid schizophrenia may sometimes have a later onset. The incidence is also up to ten times greater in children of African and Caribbean migrants compared to Caucasians according to a study conducted in Britain. All of the other options are incorrect.
Option B: The first schizophrenic episode usually occurs during early adulthood or late adolescence. Individuals often lack insight at this stage; therefore few will present directly to seek help for their psychotic symptoms. Common presentations include a relative noticing social withdrawal, personality changes or uncharacteristic behavior; deliberate self-harm or suicide attempts; calling the police to report their delusional symptoms or referral via the criminal justice system.
Option C: In schizophrenia, the prognosis is dependent on several factors. Insidious onset, childhood or adolescent onset, poor premorbid adjustment, and cognitive impairment are indicative of a poor prognostic outcome whereas acute onset, female sex, and living in a developed country signal comparatively better prognostic factors.
Option D: Though the prevalence of the disease varies globally, estimates are that schizophrenia affects approximately 1% of adults, whereas prevalence in the US is 0.6% to 1.9%. Men are slightly more likely to be diagnosed and have an earlier onset than women, while African-Caribbean migrants and their descendants also have a higher incidence.