Mortality gap and physical comorbidity of people with severe mental disorders: the public health scandal
Abstract Background Patients suffering from severe mental disorders, including schizophrenia, major depression and bipolar disorders, have a reduced life expectancy compared to the general population of up to 10–25 years. This mortality gap requires urgent actions from a public health perspective in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Annals of General Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12991-021-00374-y |
| _version_ | 1819096157754753024 |
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| author | Andrea Fiorillo Norman Sartorius |
| author_facet | Andrea Fiorillo Norman Sartorius |
| author_sort | Andrea Fiorillo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Patients suffering from severe mental disorders, including schizophrenia, major depression and bipolar disorders, have a reduced life expectancy compared to the general population of up to 10–25 years. This mortality gap requires urgent actions from a public health perspective in order to be reduced. Main text Factors associated with the high mortality rates in patients with severe mental disorders can be grouped into four groups: those related to the patients, to psychiatrists, to other non-psychiatrist medical doctors and to the healthcare system. Each of these factors should become the target of specific and dedicated interventions, in order to reduce the morbidity and mortality rate in patients with severe mental disorders. All these elements contribute to the neglect of physical comorbidity in patients with severe mental. In particular, the long-standing separation of psychiatry from other branches of medicine and the lack of specific training on this issue further contribute to the poor attention dedicated to management of physical comorbidities. Recently, several professional associations have invited national bodies regulating education of healthcare professionals to include the management of physical health of people with severe mental disorders in undergraduate and postgraduate educational programs. Conclusions The premature mortality in patients with severe mental disorders is a complex phenomenon resulting by the interaction of several protective and risk factors. Therefore, a multilevel approach is needed, in which the different stakeholders involved in health care provision establish workforces for the long-term management of physical and mental health conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T23:54:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b6e71908763040529982c125f86293d5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1744-859X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T23:54:44Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of General Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-b6e71908763040529982c125f86293d52022-12-21T18:45:50ZengBMCAnnals of General Psychiatry1744-859X2021-12-012011510.1186/s12991-021-00374-yMortality gap and physical comorbidity of people with severe mental disorders: the public health scandalAndrea Fiorillo0Norman Sartorius1Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania “L Vanvitelli”Association for the Improvement of Mental Health ProgrammesAbstract Background Patients suffering from severe mental disorders, including schizophrenia, major depression and bipolar disorders, have a reduced life expectancy compared to the general population of up to 10–25 years. This mortality gap requires urgent actions from a public health perspective in order to be reduced. Main text Factors associated with the high mortality rates in patients with severe mental disorders can be grouped into four groups: those related to the patients, to psychiatrists, to other non-psychiatrist medical doctors and to the healthcare system. Each of these factors should become the target of specific and dedicated interventions, in order to reduce the morbidity and mortality rate in patients with severe mental disorders. All these elements contribute to the neglect of physical comorbidity in patients with severe mental. In particular, the long-standing separation of psychiatry from other branches of medicine and the lack of specific training on this issue further contribute to the poor attention dedicated to management of physical comorbidities. Recently, several professional associations have invited national bodies regulating education of healthcare professionals to include the management of physical health of people with severe mental disorders in undergraduate and postgraduate educational programs. Conclusions The premature mortality in patients with severe mental disorders is a complex phenomenon resulting by the interaction of several protective and risk factors. Therefore, a multilevel approach is needed, in which the different stakeholders involved in health care provision establish workforces for the long-term management of physical and mental health conditions.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12991-021-00374-yMortalityPhysical comorbidityLife expectancySevere mental disorderPublic health |
| spellingShingle | Andrea Fiorillo Norman Sartorius Mortality gap and physical comorbidity of people with severe mental disorders: the public health scandal Annals of General Psychiatry Mortality Physical comorbidity Life expectancy Severe mental disorder Public health |
| title | Mortality gap and physical comorbidity of people with severe mental disorders: the public health scandal |
| title_full | Mortality gap and physical comorbidity of people with severe mental disorders: the public health scandal |
| title_fullStr | Mortality gap and physical comorbidity of people with severe mental disorders: the public health scandal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mortality gap and physical comorbidity of people with severe mental disorders: the public health scandal |
| title_short | Mortality gap and physical comorbidity of people with severe mental disorders: the public health scandal |
| title_sort | mortality gap and physical comorbidity of people with severe mental disorders the public health scandal |
| topic | Mortality Physical comorbidity Life expectancy Severe mental disorder Public health |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12991-021-00374-y |
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