Shocking new nationwide research finds people with mental illness could die up to 20 years earlier due to physical illness

The main driving factor behind the high early death rate of people with serious mental illness has been revealed in a shocking new study, with 20 years being shaved off life expectancies.

Shocking new research has found that Queenslanders with serious mental illness could die up to 20 years earlier than their peers due to the systemic neglect of physical health.

The supplement published in the Medical Journal of Australia from researchers nationwide, including at University of Queensland, found that between 80 per cent and 95 per cent of the early death rate in those with serious mental illness relate to physical health issues.

“Most of these early deaths are from preventable health conditions including cardiovascular disease, smoking-related respiratory illness, diabetes, and cancer,” co-ordinating editor Professor Rosemary Calder said.

The authors of the research said the current healthcare system is “too fragmented and complex” to provide care for both the mental and physical health risks that are associated with mental illness.

“Tailored shared care health services and support have been implemented to improve the physical and mental health care of cancer patients,” Professor Calder said.

“People with serious mental illness need the same commitment and attention to reduce preventable deaths and serious physical illness.”

More than 400,000 Australians live with serious mental illness, which comes with a life expectancy of 50 to 59 years, according to the study.

To support longer lives for this population and provide better physical health care, the study worked with the Being Equally Well national police road map that addresses issues in the current health care industry.

“Current policies addressing this disparity in Australia and comparable countries have been ineffective. They largely fail at the front lines of care because they do not account for how frontline staff work,” Professor Calder said.

“The Being Equally Well national policy road map proposes changes needed in both specialist mental health and primary health care and how to achieve these.”

Recommendations in the road map include collaboration between all levels of care services, investment in comprehensive care, monitoring of medications that impact physical health, using nutrition to improve overall wellbeing and establishing a national clinical quality registry.