Awareness and management of cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia in psychiatrists and patients: Results from a cross-sectional survey

This study evaluated awareness, management, and the burden of cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia (CIAS) in Japan. A non-interventional, cross-sectional study was conducted online between April and December 2023, involving 149 psychiatrists and 852 patients. Psychiatrists prioritized controlling positive symptoms in the acute phase of the illness, while improving social functioning was the top priority for the maintenance/stable phase. Management of CIAS was regarded as most important for the reintegration of patients into society. Psychiatrists reported higher occurrence of CIAS among inpatients than outpatients. While 72 % of psychiatrists assessed CIAS, only 15 % used the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia. Further, 58 % of them reported that ≤40 % of their patients received interventions for CIAS. Sixty-eight percent of patients reported current or previous experiences of CIAS. The most common CIAS-related burdens were “unable to perform tasks I could do before or they take longer” (65 %) and “unable to maintain concentration” (64 %). In patients not currently experiencing CIAS (n = 496), these burdens were reported by 52 % and 50 %, respectively. Although CIAS was generally recognized by psychiatrists, the use of appropriate assessment tools and interventions was not common. While many patients reported CIAS-related burdens, a substantial proportion of them were unaware of CIAS. These observations indicate that the greater awareness of CIAS may facilitate its management in clinical practice, thus enhancing the ability of patients to reintegrate into society.