Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the mortality rate and
the associated risks factors in patients with schizophrenia during a10-
year follow up period.
Method: We searched the records of patients with schizophrenia
receiving treatment as outpatients and/or inpatients in the psychiatric
clinic of a university hospital between 2004 and 2008 and determine
the survival of these patients by the end of 2018. The results were
compared with the all cause mortality rate in the general population
during the same period. Also, the risk factors affecting the mortality rate
among the patients were investigated.
Results: Out of a total of 626 registered patients 506 were included
in the study. The mortality rate within 10 years was found to be
10.6%, with a mean age of 53.1 years at the time of death. The overall
expected life expectancy was 73.4 years; varying between 66.6 years
among the males and 77.6 years among the females; and 64.7 and
76.5 years among smokers and non-smokers, respectively. The overall
standardized mortality rate (SMR) was 3.7, being 3.9 among the males
and 3.3 among the females. The risk factors that were associated with
the death were old age, male gender, smoking, not working, and early
age of disease onset.
Conclusion: Smoking is a significant risk factor for mortality.
Giving priority to programs for stopping smoking, and supporting
rehabilitation services that enables patients to get involved in could help
reducing the mortality risk.