A prevention orientation in schizophrenia research requires further work on risk factors for schizophrenia. Nevertheless, a couple of points can be made.
While there is a lack of specificity of risk factors for schizophrenia, if a risk factor is identified, then lack of specificity may lead to prevention of a number of different illnesses. As an example, preventing schizophrenia would also prevent schizotypy.
While the evidence for some contemporary putative risk factors – nutritional deficiencies (such as low maternal vitamin D), pre-natal infections, and obstetric complications - is currently scant or unclear, they are attractive candidate for universal intervention. Better maternal care is safe, relatively cheap, and could improve a range of adventageous health outcomes in the offspring, making this a cost-effective public health intervention.
Epidemiology has discovered interesting clues about the etiology of schizophrenia. These leads raise important questions which urgently require further epidemiological, laboratory-based and clinical studies.

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