Changes Over Time in the Differential Mortality Gap in Individuals With Mental Disorders
Oleguer Plana‐Ripoll, Nanna Weye, Natalie C. Momen, Maria Klitgaard Christensen, Kim Moesgaard Iburg, Thomas Munk Laursen, John J. McGrath
Abstract
People with mental disorders have increased mortality rates and reduced life expectancies. The life-years lost (LYLs), which estimates life expectancy for people with a disorder compared with the general population, 1,3,4 have been estimated to be 10 and 7 years, respectively, for men and women with any mental disorder. For schizophrenia, LYLs related to suicide and unintentional deaths (ie, external causes) had fallen over a 20-year period, but these gains were offset by worsening LYLs related to deaths from general medical conditions (ie, natural causes). The aim of this Research Letter is to examine changes in mortality rate ratios (MRRs) and LYLs for both external and natural causes over 20 years for specific mental disorders.