According to the Government’s Saving Lives, Our Healthier Nation mental health problems “are a major cause of ill-health, disability and mortality”. People with mental health problems, and particularly schizophrenia, are at increased risk of premature death due to physical heath problems. Someone with schizophrenia has an expected life expectancy that is 10 years less than someone without a mental health problem. Specifically, people with severe mental health problems, including schizophrenia, have higher risks of cardiovascular disease and deaths from infectious diseases, endocrine, circulatory, respiratory, digestive and genitor-urinary system disorders. It has been reported that deaths from smoking-related diseases are twice as high among people with schizophrenia. The prevalence of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia is relatively rare, and affect around one in 200 adults each year. However, as with other mental health problems, the prevalence of such disorders are associated with increased social inequalities and hence health inequalities. For example, those with a psychotic disorder, including schizophrenia are more likely to be unemployed and receiving state benefits than those without a psychotic disorder. Further, people from a black and minority ethnic group are more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, be detained and treated compulsory under the Mental Health Act (1983) and be over-prescribed psychotropic medication. Prevalence of psychotic disorders is also thought to be at least 15 times higher amongst prison populations. The Government’s target on mental health uses suicide figures as a proxy indicator to monitor improvement in mental health across the nation. However, this target is difficult to monitor at a local level due to the small number of suicides and undetermined deaths and the associated issues around disclosure and sharing of small numbers. Given the increased health problems and mortality rates amongst those with schizophrenia, more focused monitoring of numbers is required.
Please note that LBOI indicator 10.2 and 10.4 have been discontinued and there will be no future updates.
For the latest data for LBOI indicator 10.3, please see Compendium indicator –Mortality from suicide and injury undetermined: directly standardised rate, 15+ years, 3-year average, MFP, (P00546).
For information on the definitions of what these indicators include, please see the relevant specification.