Researchers have identified a trio of lifestyle areas that affect life expectancy.
People with severe mental illness (SMI) tend to live lives shorter than the general population. Research suggests that, on average, women live 12 years younger and men live 13 years younger.
However, a new study of researchers from King’s College London (Kings) and other institutions in the UK finds that solving a group of three health problems can significantly reduce this gap.
Mitigation of unhealthy behaviors, underutilization of medical services, and social isolation can extend the lives of people with IMS by 4 to 7 years.
These three problems may seem familiar and, in fact, they are: they are risk factors for anyone’s longevity.
Researchers behind the current study report that approximately 80% of people living with SMI die from heart disease, respiratory diseases, diabetes, cancer and digestive disorders. It may be that by focusing on treating SMI in these people, health professionals may unintentionally ignore such long-term health problems.
While there are obvious benefits for improvement in any of these areas, researchers saw the profound effect in cases where there was effective management of all three.
SMI can appear at any time in life, and Dregan and his colleagues found a positive change in longevity when managing the three areas was in place early.
For people over 65 with SMI, the authors also noticed the benefits of taking control later. The data showed a 3-year increase in life expectancy for older adults with bipolar disorder and 4 years for those with schizophrenia.
Research findings indicate that medical providers should consider a holistic view of their SMI patients.
It concludes: “Greater investments in the development of more effective interventions aimed at reducing unhealthy behaviors and treating underlying symptoms would help reduce the gap in premature mortality between people with severe mental illness and the general population.”
