People diagnosed with schizophrenia retain the diagnosis long term.

MAIN RESULTS Most people (120/168, 71%) were given the same diagnosis after 2.5 years as at the cohort’s inception. The highest repeat diagnosis rate was for schizophrenic disorders (92/101, 91%), compared with 14/21 (67%) for psychotic mood disorders and 14/46 (30%) for other non-organic psychotic disorders. The proportion of people diagnosed with schizophrenic disorders rose from 101/168 (60.1%) at study’s start to 125/168 (74.4%) at 2.5 years. The proportion of people with organic psychotic disorder diagnosis rose from 0/168 (0%) at study start to 5/168 (3.0%) at 2.5 years but it is not clear if this diagnostic category was available at first diagnosis. The proportion of people diagnosed with psychotic mood disorder and other non-organic psychotic disorders was lower at 2.5 years compared with study start (proportion of people with psychotic mood disorder diagnosis: 21/168 (12.5%) at study start v 17/168 (10.1%) at 2.5 years; proportion of people with other non-organic psychotic disorder diagnosis: 46/168 (27.4%) at study start v 21/168 (12.5%) at 2.5 years).