Introduction: To describe the baseline findings and study population of the Spanish sample of the Schizophrenia Outpatient Health Outcomes (SOHO) Study.
Method: The SOHO study is an ongoing, large, prospective, long-term observational study of schizophrenia treatment in 10 European countries. The study population consists of outpatients who initiate therapy or change to a new antipsychotic.
Results: A total of 86 investigators enrolled 2,020 in Spain (10,972 patients in Europe). 64 % of patients were men and the mean age was 38.7 years. The Spanish SOHO study sample had considerable functional impairment at baseline. The main reason for change of therapy was lack effectiveness followed by intolerability. Patients included in the study and those receiving their first antipsychotic for schizophrenia are most likely to receive an atypical agent.
Conclusion: The Spanish SOHO study population appears to represent the Spanish outpatients with schizophrenia in whom a treatment decision is required. Baseline findings reflect Spanish clinical practice with respect to patients treated with individual antipsychotics.