Severe Mental Illness Cuts Lifespan by Over a Decade, Study Finds
A large Australian study found that severe mental illness reduces lifespan by over a decade, primarily due to untreated physical conditions like cancer and heart disease, not suicide. Experts note systemic neglect and medication side effects contribute to the gap, though some improvements were observed over time, except for schizophrenia patients.
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- Severe mental illness reduces lifespan by 10-12 years.
- Physical illnesses, not suicide, cause most early deaths.
- Cancer and heart disease are leading causes of death.
- Medication side effects and healthcare system neglect contribute.
- Lifespan gap narrowed, but not for schizophrenia patients.
Individuals with severe mental illness die, on average, more than a decade earlier than the general population, with men losing about 12 years and women about 10 years of life expectancy. Contrary to common assumptions, suicide is not the primary cause of this mortality gap. Instead, the study highlights that treatable yet often late-diagnosed or inadequately managed physical illnesses, particularly heart disease and cancer, are the main culprits.
This finding comes from a large-scale Australian study published in The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific, which tracked over 255,000 patients for 14 years. The research, led by Dr. Mike Trott from the University of Queensland, analyzed hospitalization and mortality records from Queensland. It revealed that excess deaths from physical conditions were 2.7 times higher in men and 5.3 times higher in women compared to deaths from suicide. Cancer was the most frequent cause of death overall, while heart disease was the leading cause of excess mortality in women.
Experts suggest a combination of factors contribute to this disparity. Medications for mental illness can lead to weight gain, blood lipid disorders, and impaired glucose regulation, increasing the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Furthermore, individuals with mental illness may receive less cardiac protection medication, undergo fewer cancer screenings, and not always receive treatment according to standard guidelines. This indicates that physical illnesses are often detected and treated less effectively in this population.
Dr. Zvi Fishel, chairman of the National Council for Mental Health in Israel, corroborated these findings, stating that the lifespan gap for individuals with severe psychiatric disorders is a known issue, typically ranging from 10 to 15 years. He attributes this to neglect of patients' general health, stemming from a lack of healthy lifestyle adherence, patients' own disregard for medical advice regarding physical ailments, and insufficient attention from the healthcare system. He emphasized that systemic recommendations are being developed in Israel to address this issue.
Encouragingly, the study observed a narrowing of the lifespan gap over the 14-year period, suggesting improvements in medical care and monitoring. However, a concerning exception was noted: patients with schizophrenia and psychoses saw no significant reduction in their mortality gap, remaining at approximately 14 years. Dr. Trott expressed concern that these most severely ill patients are not benefiting from the improving treatments. The study acknowledges limitations, being observational and based on hospitalized patients, and suggests that while the findings are Australian, the underlying issue of neglected physical health in individuals with severe mental illness is a global concern.
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