The authors examined the 3 1/2-year mortality rate of 1,033 psychiatric
patients who had received inpatient treatment during a 1-year period, using
standardized mortality ratios to identify heightened risk. Deaths due to
accidents or suicides and pneumonia occurred more frequently than expected.
Deaths due to cancer occurred primarily among alcoholics; nonalcoholic
patients had a significantly lower cancer mortality risk. The risk
associated with age was greatest for young patients in general, but male
schizophrenic patients and female alcoholics died at particularly young
ages. The highest mortality risk associated with diagnosis was for male
patients with affective disorders. The authors discuss the implications of
these findings.
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