Adults with severe mental illness die 15 to 20 years earlier from diseases such as cancer
Summary
Adults with severe mental illness die 15 to 20 years earlier than others, mainly due to preventable diseases like cancer and heart problems. They are much more likely to die from conditions such as liver disease, respiratory illness, and suicide compared to the general population.Key Facts
- Adults with serious mental health issues are about 5 times more likely to die before age 75 than others.
- They are 6.3 times more likely to die from liver disease and 6 times from respiratory diseases.
- Risk of death from cardiovascular disease is 3.8 times higher, and from cancer 2.3 times higher.
- Suicide risk is 14.6 times greater in this group.
- Over half of deaths (56.5%) are caused by cancer, heart disease, liver disease, or lung disease.
- Causes include poverty, poor housing, smoking, medication side effects, inactivity, and poor medical care.
- "Diagnostic overshadowing" means physical symptoms may be mistaken for mental health issues, leading to missed treatment.
- The government is working on new mental health services, including 100 new community centers, to improve care.
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