Mental health and premature mortality

Question 1

Why premature mortality and mental health is important?

Answer 1

Important issues not just in high income countries but also world-wide.

Question 2

main causes of death in people with bipolar and schizophrenia in the Sample UK population ?

Answer 2

Most causes of
death are from
preventable
physical
conditions

Question 3

Why do you think people with mental disorders experience

reductions in life expectancy?

Answer 3

• Individual:
• Health related behaviours (tobacco use, substance misuse, etc);
• Related to disorder (severity, symptoms, disablement)
• Prescribing- antipsychotics medications are associated with many side effects,
however note a complex association…
• Health systems- Under-investment in mental health services compared to
physical health. Poor provision of physical health checks.
• Healthcare provider factors- Diagnostic overshadowing and stigma, lack of
training and expertise. Less likely to receive life-saving treatments.
• Social factors- poorly researched/ understood but likely play a major role,
particularly within a social determinants framework. Poverty, social
isolation, social networks.

Question 4

What can be done to address premature mortality in mental

disorders?

Answer 4

Individual/health-systems/community level focused interventions.

Question 5

what are Evidence based recommendations for

practitioners?

Answer 5

• Individual-focused interventions
• Within a ‘multilevel framework’/
context- health systems and
socio-environmental context
• “Full participation of persons
with severe mental disorders in
their treatment and recovery
plans is ..important for
improving health outcomes