95% CI: 0.99-1.39; P=0.06).

crisis-driven pattern of healthcare utilization, characterized by significantly higher rates of ED and IP admissions. Although acute visits occurred more often in the negative symptoms cohort, the increased volume did not translate into statistically significant cost increases, suggesting that individual encounters may be less resource intensive. Conversely, the OP visit frequency was similar to those without negative symptoms, yet costs were significantly higher, indicating that patients with negative symptoms require more complex management during routine visits. The higher prevalence of negative symptoms identified in this study compared with prior literature suggests that our cohort captures a broader spectrum of negative symptomatology than reported in other studies.