Over 26,000 adults with severe mental illness die prematurely from preventable illness each year

More than 26,000 adults with severe mental illness die prematurely each year from preventable physical illnesses, analysis by the Royal College of Psychiatrists suggests. 

New data from the Office for Health Improvement & Disparities shows 120,273 adults in England with severe mental illness, including psychosis, post-traumatic stress disorder and schizophrenia, died before the age of 75 between 2018 and 2020. 

Of these, the College estimates 80,182 deaths (two in three) were potentially preventable, which is an average of 26,727 people each year. 

Preventable deaths include deaths from diseases like cancer and heart disease which could have been prevented with earlier detection and treatment or lifestyle changes. While adults with severe mental illness are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviours like smoking and drinking alcohol excessively, they are also less likely to access screening and treatment for a range of reasons including stigma associated with having a mental illness.  

While cancer is the leading cause of premature death among those with a severe mental illness, it also significantly increases the risk of dying before the age of 75 across a range of physical health conditions. Adults with severe mental illness are on average:

• 6.6 times more likely to die prematurely from respiratory disease
• 6.5 times more likely to die prematurely from liver disease
• 4.1 times more likely to die prematurely from cardiovascular disease
• 2.3 times more likely to die prematurely from cancer.

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Source: Royal College of Psychiatrists, 17 May 2023