On August 8, Assistant Professor Shinsuke Kondo and Professor Kiyoto Kasai of the Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, The University of Tokyo Hospital, collaborated with the social welfare corporation Nestaikai in Mitaka City, Tokyo, using an index called life expectancy (YLL). He announced that the life expectancy of people with mental illness is more than 10 years shorter than that of the general population.
Patients with severe mental illness are more likely to die prematurely, but the reality is not well known in Japan due to lack of appropriate data.This time, the research group investigated 1992 of the 2015 who died after long-term hospitalization in psychiatry from 254 to the end of 45 and then transitioned to community life.
As a result, the average length of psychiatric hospitalization per deceased user is 1 years, and the average age at death is 15.6 years.The average life expectancy was 63 years (22.2 years for men and 20.5 years for women).The main causes of death are cancer, cardiovascular disease, and suicide, with physical illness accounting for 26% (73.3 people).Sudden death was 33/1 (3) of the total, and unattended death was 15% (26.7).Regarding the standardized mortality ratio (SMR), all SMRs were 12, gender SMRs were 3.28 for men and 2.85 for women, and SMRs by cause of death were 4.98 for cancer, 1.94 for cardiovascular disease, and 5.09 for suicide.
This result is consistent with previous studies and is said to be the first report in Japan showing the early death of a person with severe mental illness.It suggests that physical health is important in aiming for recovery from mental disorders, and in the future, accurate understanding of the physical health of people with mental illness and enhancement of appropriate care will be promoted, and health inequalities will increase. It is expected to be an opportunity for correction.
