Life Expectancy for People with Serious Mental Illness
Author Information
Author(s): Chang Chin-Kuo, Hayes Richard D., Perera Gayan, Broadbent Mathew T. M., Fernandes Andrea C., Lee William E., Hotopf Mathew, Stewart Robert
Primary Institution: King's College London
Hypothesis
How do serious mental illnesses affect life expectancy at birth?
Conclusion
Serious mental illness significantly reduces life expectancy, with men losing up to 14.6 years and women losing up to 17.5 years compared to the general population.
Supporting Evidence
- Individuals with serious mental illness have significantly lower life expectancies compared to the general population.
- Men with schizophrenia lost an average of 14.6 years of life expectancy.
- Women with schizoaffective disorders lost an average of 17.5 years of life expectancy.
- The study utilized a large dataset from a comprehensive secondary mental healthcare provider.
Takeaway
People with serious mental illnesses, like schizophrenia, live much shorter lives than those without these conditions.
Methodology
The study analyzed life expectancy at birth for individuals diagnosed with serious mental illnesses using data from a secondary mental healthcare provider in London.
Potential Biases
The sample may be unrepresentative of the general population of individuals with mental disorders, particularly for substance use and depressive disorders.
Limitations
Findings may not be applicable to all individuals with mental disorders as the sample only includes those who accessed secondary mental health services.
Participant Demographics
54% of the sample were male, with a mean age of 43.1 years for men and 45.1 years for women.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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