Managing schizophrenia in a diverse patient population

Schizophrenia affects persons of all races and ethnicities worldwide. Racial and ethnic disparities exist with respect to diagnosis, treatment, and outcome. Therefore, mental health clinicians need to educate themselves about how to maximize their accuracy of diagnosis to prevent misdiagnosis and tailor treatment to patients' unique cultural backgrounds, which can influence their perception of their illness and their response to therapies. A patient-centered approach can maximize treatment outcomes and improve quality of life.