(#51) Social Determinants of Health among Patients with Experiential Negative Symptoms Living with Schizophrenia: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

Abstract: Introduction: Experiential negative symptoms (ENS) of schizophrenia include avolition, asociality, and anhedonia, which impact quality of life and functioning. This study assessed the association between social determinants of health (SDOH) and ENS among patients with schizophrenia. Methods: The study used data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (1997ñ2021). Individuals were characterized as having ENS if they reported either avolition/anhedonia or asociality. Outcomes included prevalence, demographics, and SDOH (education, employment status, annual income, insurance coverage, food stamp use). Descriptive and comparative analyses stratified by ENS were conducted using ?2 test and t-test and were weighted to produce national estimates. Results: Of 1,804 individuals with schizophrenia, representing a weighted population of 616,530, 71.3% reported ENS. Mean age was 47.5 years, and most patients were male (53.2%) and White (68.0%). Sex, race, and ethnicity were similar between groups. Compared with patients who did not report ENS, those reporting ENS were 1.4 times more likely to have no completed degrees of education (20.1% vs. 14.1%), 2.6 times less likely to be fully employed (9.5% vs. 24.6%), had $6,760 less income ($16,208 vs. $22,968), were 1.3 times more likely to have Medicaid (65.1% vs. 51.3%), 1.9 times less likely to have private insurance (17.1% vs. 33.2%), and had 1.3 times higher food stamp use (39.4% vs. 29.3%). All p-values Short Description: The social determinants of health (SDOH) of patients with experiential negative symptoms (ENS) of schizophrenia remains unclear. This study assessed the association between SDOH and ENS among patients with schizophrenia. Patients with ENS had lower educational attainment, higher unemployment rates, and lower incomes. Patients with ENS were more reliant on Medicaid and food stamps, indicating greater economic burden. Addressing SDOH disparities is crucial to improving health outcomes, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions for ENS.Name of Sponsoring Organization(s): Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.