Abstract
Introduction
Several studies have examined mortality in psychiatric settings, particularly among patients with schizophrenia showing that schizophrenia is associated with significantly higher mortality rates than those of the general population.
Objectives
The aim of our work was to study mortality among patients with schizophrenia in the psychiatric wards of Razi Hospital (Manouba, Tunisia).
Methods
A retrospective descriptive study was conducted over an 11-year period ; from January 2012 to December 2022 ; focusing on patients with schizophrenia who died during their stay at Razi Hospital. Data were collected from patients’ medical records. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics as well as the medico-legal causes of their deaths were gathered.
Results
A total of 37 patients were included. The mean age was 49.92 ± 14.13 years. Twenty-three patients (62.1 %) were male and 14 (22.7 %) were female. Analysis of socio-economic status showed that 24 patients (64.8 %) came from a low socio-economic background. Our study showed a history of psychiatric illness in first-degree relatives in 35.1 % of cases (N=13) and in second-degree relatives in 10.8 % (N=4) of cases. Fifteen patients (40.5 %) had a personal history of somatic illness. Seven (19.4%) had a criminal record. The different causes of deaths were pulmonary embolism (13.5 %,N=5), suicide (5.4 %, N=2), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation (5.4 %,N=2), pulmonary oedema (2.7%, N=1), infectious pneumonia (2.7%, N=1), gastric perforation in (2.7%, N=1), status epilepticus (2.7% , N=1). The cause remained undetermined in 16.2 % (N=6) of cases.
Conclusions
Schizophrenia remains associated with a markedly increased mortality risk. Our results emphasize the importance of integrated care approaches and preventive interventions to mitigate both natural and unnatural causes of death in this vulnerable population.
Disclosure of Interest
None Declared