To assess sociodemographic characteristics, including education, usual residence, employment status and income among schizophrenia patients in Europe.

The Client Sociodemographic and Service Receipt Inventory was evaluated in schizophrenia patients treated with aripiprazole versus standard of care (SoC). 555 patients were equally randomized to aripiprazole (10-30 mg/day) or SoC (olanzapine 5-20 mg/day, or quetiapine 100-800 mg/day or risperidone 2-8 mg/day, [up to 16 mg/day]) for 26 weeks.

At baseline, 67% of the patients were single, 15% married and 12% widowed. The average years of education was 11.2: 24% of the patients received primary education or less, 50% secondary education; 21% further education and only 8% reached university. Of this population, 35% lived alone, 33% lived with relatives other than parents, and 14% lived with their husband/wife. More patients in the aripiprazole than the SoC group were employed (18.5% vs. 19. 9%), while a similar proportion were unemployed (28.8% vs. 25.8%). Among the patients who work (n=105), only two have a managerial position: 35% of patients are on a state pension. The main income source across all countries was state benefit and pension (74%). Only 15% of patients had an effective salary. During the 3 months prior to baseline, patients missed ~18.5 days (50%) from work due to illness.

Despite improvements in the management of psychosis with second-generation antipsychotics, the social and rehabilitation aspects of schizophrenia warrant further attention.