E Kjelsberg1. 1. Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Oslo, Norway.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Research has demonstrated increased mortality rates in adolescent psychiatric in-patients. AIMS: To investigate this excess mortality by calculating standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) relative to cause of death, diagnosis, cohort and age. METHOD: A nationwide Norwegian sample of 1095 former adolescent psychiatric in-patients were followed up 15-33 years after first hospitalisation by record linkage to the National Death Cause Registry. RESULTS: The SMR was significantly increased for almost all causes of death investigated. In males, all psychiatric diagnoses had significantly increased SMRs, whereas in females, organic mental disorder, anxiety disorder and affective disorder had non-significantly increased SMRs. The SMR was significantly elevated for all age-spans and cohorts investigated. CONCLUSIONS: A broad prevention strategy is needed to combat the increased mortality rates found in adolescent psychiatric in-patients.
BACKGROUND: Research has demonstrated increased mortality rates in adolescent psychiatric in-patients. AIMS: To investigate this excess mortality by calculating standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) relative to cause of death, diagnosis, cohort and age. METHOD: A nationwide Norwegian sample of 1095 former adolescent psychiatric in-patients were followed up 15-33 years after first hospitalisation by record linkage to the National Death Cause Registry. RESULTS: The SMR was significantly increased for almost all causes of death investigated. In males, all psychiatric diagnoses had significantly increased SMRs, whereas in females, organic mental disorder, anxiety disorder and affective disorder had non-significantly increased SMRs. The SMR was significantly elevated for all age-spans and cohorts investigated. CONCLUSIONS: A broad prevention strategy is needed to combat the increased mortality rates found in adolescent psychiatric in-patients.