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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Catherine A. Fullerton, MD, MPH, Psychiatry Resident, McLean Hospital, Outpatient Clinic, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02178, 617 855-3934, cfullerton@partners.org, Kristen Roy-Bujnowski, MS, Center for Mental Health Services Research, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01545, and Mary Ellen Foti, MD, MPH, State Medical Director of Clinical & Professional Services, Department of Mental Health, Central Office, 25 Staniford Street, Boston, MA 02114.

Background: Individuals with severe mental illness have elevated, all-cause mortality rates, with estimates ranging from 2-5 times the mortality rate of control populations. The majority of these deaths are from natural, and potentially preventable, causes of death. This study examines cause-specific mortality rates for individuals with severe mental illness served by the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH) compared to the general population of Massachusetts. Methods: Utilizing a linked database between DMH and the vital statistics department of DPH, we will examine common, age-specific causes of death for the DMH population compared to the general Massachusetts population. We will then compare age-specific standardized mortality ratios for specific illnesses including cardiovascular disease, pneumonia/influenza, diabetes, liver disease, HIV/AIDs, and non-natural causes of death. Results: Our results show an excess rate of death for individuals between the ages of 18-65 with severe mental illness, particularly from cardiovascular disease, COPD, pneumonia/influenza, and liver disease. Individuals with severe mental illness die from these illnesses at ages significantly younger than the general population. Discussion: Examining the disparity in mortality between individuals with severe mental illness and the general population provides insight into ways to improve the health of those with severe mental illness. Factors that may mediate this excess include low SES, poor lifestyle habits including nutrition, smoking, and obesity, difficulty navigating a fractionated healthcare system, and difficulty mobilizing resources around physical health.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the impact severe mental illness has on mortality from both natural and unnatural causes.
• Describe the most common causes of death in individuals with severe mental illness.
• Identify potential factors that mediate the high mortality in this population.

Keywords: Health Disparities, Mental Illness

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered