People with severe mental illness are at an increased risk of dying from COVID-19, according to a study conducted by King’s College London. The research, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, analyzed data from over 660,000 UK patients between February 2020 and April 2021. It found that individuals with severe mental illness, including schizophrenia and psychosis, had a 50% greater risk of death from any cause after contracting COVID-19 compared to those without such conditions.
The study also revealed other significant factors affecting mortality rates. Black Caribbean and Black African individuals had a 22% higher risk of death following COVID-19 infection compared to White individuals, irrespective of their mental health status. However, it is worth noting that the ethnicity data was missing in approximately 30% of the patient records.
Furthermore, regional disparities were observed, with higher risk of death reported in Northern UK regions compared to the Southern regions. Residents of Northern Ireland, the East Midlands, and the North-East faced a 24% to 28% increased risk of death from COVID-19 compared to those living in London.
Dr Alex Dregan, a senior author of the study and Senior Lecturer in psychiatric epidemiology at King’s College London, emphasized the significance of this research in understanding the impact of COVID-19 on individuals with severe mental illness. He called for further investigation into the reasons behind these disparities and the patterns of healthcare-seeking behavior among affected individuals.
Moreover, the study highlighted the importance of considering comorbidities in determining the risk of death. Individuals with severe mental illness who had multiple long-term health conditions saw their risk of death increase by 6% for each additional condition. Similarly, individuals without severe mental illness experienced a 16% higher risk of death for each additional long-term health condition after contracting COVID-19.
The study forms part of a Health Foundation funded project called COVID-19 Ethnic Inequalities in Mental Health and Multimorbidities (COVE-IMM), which aims to investigate these disparities using both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Dr Jayati Das-Munshi, the lead author of the study and principal investigator on the COVE-IMM project, emphasized the need to address health inequalities faced by individuals with severe mental illness, racialized groups, and those residing in different regions of the country. She highlighted the importance of learning from the experiences of these groups through in-depth interview research and improving service provision to bridge the gap.
The findings of this research underscore the need for tailored support and interventions to protect vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Improved access to healthcare services and addressing the underlying factors contributing to health inequalities are crucial steps to reduce the disproportionate impact of the virus on individuals with severe mental illness.
