Am J Psychiatry 1987; 144:208-211
Copyright © 1987 by American Psychiatric Association
Psychiatric and medical diagnoses as risk factors for mortality in psychiatric patients: a case-control study
G Winokur and DW Black
On the basis of a case-control study, the authors conclude that former
psychiatric inpatients are more likely than control subjects to die of both
natural and unnatural causes within 2 years of discharge. Patients who
committed suicide were more likely to have had a diagnosis of affective
disorder (unipolar depression) or alcoholism. Those who died of natural
causes were more likely to have been admitted with medical diagnoses; no
specific psychiatric diagnoses were associated with these deaths. It is
doubtful that medical illnesses caused psychiatric syndromes such as
depression in these inpatients. Psychiatric and medical illnesses combined
may increase a patient's likelihood of seeking psychiatric help and
entering the hospital.
