Health and work disability outcomes in parents of patients with schizophrenia associated with antipsychotic exposure by the offspring

This study aimed to identify if antipsychotic exposure in offspring is associated with psychiatric and non-psychiatric healthcare service use and work disability of their parents. This Swedish population-based cohort study was based on data comprising 10,883 individuals with schizophrenia, who had at least one identifiable parent in the nationwide registers, and their parents (N = 18,215). The register-based follow-up during 2006–2013 considered the level of antipsychotic exposure and persistence of use of the offspring, further categorized into first (FG) and second generation (SG) antipsychotics, and orals versus long-acting injections (LAIs). The main outcome measure was parental psychiatric healthcare service use, secondary outcomes were non-psychiatric healthcare use and long-term sickness absence. SG-LAI use was associated with a decreased risk (relative risks [RR] 0.81-0.85) of parental psychiatric healthcare use compared with not using SG-LAI, whereas oral antipsychotics were associated with an increased risk (RRs 1.10–1.29). Both FG- and SG-LAI use by the offspring were associated with a lower risk of long-term sickness absence (range of odds ratios 0.34–0.47) for the parents, compared with non-use of these drugs. The choice of antipsychotic treatment for the offspring may have an impact on work disability and healthcare service use of their parents.