Mortality in chronic schizophrenia during decreasing number of psychiatric beds in Finland.

Mortality, especially mortality due to suicides, is higher among patients suffering from schizophrenia than among the general population. Little is known about the factors predicting the mortality of schizophrenia patients. It has also been suggested that mortality among psychiatric patients increases as the number of beds in mental hospitals decreases. These questions were studied in 4338 schizophrenia patients discharged in 1982, 1986, 1990 and 1994 from mental hospitals in Finland. During this period, the number of beds in mental hospitals in Finland decreased from 3.8 to 1.3 per 1000 inhabitants. During the three-year follow-up, 226 patients or 5.2% died. There were no statistically significant differences in mortality between the cohorts. The total mortality was higher in males than in females. Age, physical illness and number of hospital days predicted increased mortality due to natural causes. Mortality due to unnatural causes (suicides and accidents) was predicted by number of prescribed psychosedatives, number of hospitalisations and short duration of illness. Mortality due to unnatural causes was higher in the first year after index discharge from hospital. The reduction in number of beds in mental hospitals does not seem to be associated with increased mortality in chronic schizophrenia. The high mortality of schizophrenia patients indicates the need for careful medical examinations and treatment of physical illnesses, as well as counselling for a healthy lifestyle. Need for psychosedative medication at discharge from hospital and multiple previous hospitalisations may indicate an increased suicide risk and thus requires special attention. In outpatient treatment, it is important to remember that the risk of unnatural death increases during the first years after discharge from hospital.