The mortality gap. Patients with serious mental conditions. Mortality, morbidity and use of health services

Abstract

Introduction

Mental illness are among the most prevalent causes of death [1]. Larger population based studies are needed in order to control the high mortality rates for psychiatric patients [2].

Objective

To examine the relationship between psychiatric disease and somatic illness.

Method

Data from health-related databases and registries are cross-matched by social security number for all psychiatric patients in North-Norway for 2008–2016/2017. n = 4000–6000.

(Table 1)

Mortality is considered multifactorial, and risk factors may appear as both direct and indirect causes. A high number of demographic, somatic, psychiatric and service related variables allow the study to control for interactions and confounding associations by multivariate analyses.

Results/planned papers

1. A case-register study of the comorbidity of mental and somatic disorders in North Norway: Research protocol.

2. Increased mortality in psychiatric patients: A case-registry study.

3. Comorbidity of cancer and psychiatric illness: Findings from North Norway.

4. Cardiovascular disease is prevalent among people suffering from depression and anxiety.

5. The importance of the use of antipsychotic medication for physical health.

6. Coercion and general health among psychiatric patients. The importance in continuity of care.

7. Substance-use among psychiatric patients. Implications for general health and care pathways.

8. Psychiatric patients use of general practitioner medical treatment.

Table 1

An overview of the information that will be retreived from the registries.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.