@article{ref1,
title="Excess mortality in severe mental illness: 10-year population-based cohort study in rural Ethiopia",
journal="British journal of psychiatry",
year="2015",
author="Fekadu, Abebaw and Medhin, Girmay and Kebede, Derege and Alem, Atalay and Cleare, Anthony J. and Prince, Martin and Hanlon, Charlotte and Shibre, Teshome",
volume="206",
number="4",
pages="289-296",
abstract="Background Evidence on mortality in severe mental illness (SMI) comes primarily from clinical samples in high-income countries. Aims To describe mortality in people with SMI among a population cohort from a low-income country. <br><br>METHOD We followed-up 919 adults (from 68 378 screened) with SMI over 10 years. Standardised mortality ratios (SMR) and years of life lost (YLL) as a result of premature mortality were calculated. <br><br>RESULTS In total 121 patients (13.2%) died. The overall SMR was twice that of the general population; higher for men and people with schizophrenia. Patients died about three decades prematurely, mainly from infectious causes (49.6%). Suicide, accidents and homicide were also common causes of death. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS Mortality is an important adverse outcome of SMI irrespective of setting. Addressing common natural and unnatural causes of mortality are urgent priorities. Premature death and mortality related to self-harm should be considered in the estimation of the global burden of disease for SMI.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0007-1250",
doi="10.1192/bjp.bp.114.149112",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.114.149112"
}