Work

Excess mortality in severe mental illness: 10-year population-based cohort study in rural Ethiopia

Year: 2015

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Evidence on mortality in severe mental illness (SMI) comes primarily from clinical samples in high-income countries. AIMS: To describe mortality in people with SMI among a population cohort from a low-income country. METHOD: We followed-up 919 adults (from 68 378 screened) with SMI over 10 years. Standardised mortality ratios (SMR) and years of life lost (YLL) as a result of premature mortality were calculated. RESULTS: In total 121 patients (13.2%) died. The overall SMR was twice that of the general population; higher for men and people with schizophrenia. Patients died about three decades prematurely, mainly from infectious causes (49.6%). Suicide, accidents and homicide were also common causes of death. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality is an important adverse outcome of SMI irrespective of setting. Addressing common natural and unnatural causes of mortality are urgent priorities. Premature death and mortality related to self-harm should be considered in the estimation of the global burden of disease for SMI.

Source: The British Journal of Psychiatry

DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.114.149112