Early Deaths after Hospitalization for Mental Disorders

In Scotland, eating disorders
patients had the highest risk.

Reprinted from Eating Disorders Review
November/December Volume 24, Number 6
©2013 Gürze Books

Results of a study in Scotland that compared early mortality among persons hospitalized for psychiatric disorders and the general population showed that the incidence was highest among those hospitalized for treatment of eating disorders (BMJ Open. 2013; 002768).

Researchers at NHS Services Scotland, Edinburgh, assessed records of individuals with psychiatric disorders for deaths from any cause between 1986 and 2010, and found that the average reduction in life expectancy for the entire cohort of 111,504 people was 17 years; however, for eating disorders patients reduction in life expectancy was more than twice as high, 39 years. Cardiovascular and respiratory diseases were the most common causes of death among those with eating disorders and accounted for a high percentage of years of life lost; suicide led to more years of life lost and more often affected younger adults.

Patients with comorbidity tended to have increased risk of premature death. Also, the highest risk of early death was associated with younger age at first admission, eating disorders, personality disorders, and multiple psychiatric diagnoses.

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