Abstract
BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder with an increasing burden among adolescents and young adults (aged 10-24 years). However, age-specific epidemiological data remains limited. This study aims to analyze the incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of schizophrenia in youth (aged 10-24 years) across the Group of Twenty (G20) countries and to project future trends from 2022 to 2035. METHODS: Data were sourced from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 dataset, encompassing information on 369 diseases across 204 countries and regions from 1990 to 2021. Bayesian age-period-cohort (APC) modeling was employed to estimate future burden. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs), prevalence rates (ASPRs), and DALY rates (ASDRs) were analyzed by country, sex, and sociodemographic index (SDI). RESULT: From 1990 to 2021, the burden of schizophrenia among youth has increased across most G20 countries, with particularly sharp rises observed in China and India. The lowest burdens were reported in Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Australia, which also recorded the lowest DALYs. Russia exhibited marked increases in ASIR, ASPR, and ASDR, while the United States and the United Kingdom showed declines. Substantial variations were observed across gender, regions, and SDI levels. Projections indicate that ASPRs will continue to rise in Australia, China, and Japan through 2035, while declines are anticipated in the United States and Italy, and stability is expected in Argentina and Germany. CONCLUSION: The burden of schizophrenia among youth in G20 countries is increasing, accompanied by substantial regional, gender, and socioeconomic disparities. Strengthening early intervention, enhancing diagnostic capacity, and implementing youth-targeted mental health policies are urgently needed.