Citation

Timm MJ, Robertson CL, Zhand N. Can. J. Psychiatry 2024; 69(2): 138-139.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Canadian Psychiatric Association, Publisher SAGE Publications)

DOI

10.1177/07067437231193887

PMID

37537872

PMCID

PMC10789225

Abstract

People with schizophrenia have an increased mortality rate1 and decreased life expectancy2 relative to the general population. Mortality is elevated across a range of causes, including medical illness, suicide, and accidents.1,2 Despite an urgent need to understand mortality trends in order to design protective interventions, the mortality rate and causes of death of people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) have not been studied within the context of a Canadian tertiary mental healthcare centre.
We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients (≥18 years) diagnosed with an SSD (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or psychosis not otherwise specified [NOS]) who died during their enrollment with The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre's (ROMHC) Inpatient or Outpatient Schizophrenia Program from June 1, 2014, to July 20, 2022. Outpatients died as outpatients, regardless of admission history. Inpatients died during admission. Death was determined if it occurred during the study period and was documented in the ROMHC's incident reporting system. Patients were not followed after discharge to ascertain mortality. Those with medical or psychiatric comorbidities were eligible for inclusion. Patients were excluded from chart review if they had been admitted to a ROMHC Schizophrenia Program without an SSD diagnosis. Data were extracted from admission, progress, consult, nursing, and social work notes, stored forms or applications, and discharge summaries. Causes of death were obtained from medical records or incident reports.
Mortality rate was calculated for all patients enrolled in the ROMHC schizophrenia program at any point during the study period, regardless of chart access, completeness, or diagnosis. This study was approved by the ROMHC Research Ethics Board; informed consent was not required. ...

Language: en

Keywords

Canada; Cause of Death; chart review; Humans; life expectancy; Life Expectancy; mortality; Mortality; retrospective; Risk Factors; schizophrenia; Schizophrenia; Suicide