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Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Therapeutic Massage for Psychological Well-being in Geriatric Oncology
Published on: May 22, 2026
Psychological distress, physical illness and mortality risk
Farhat Rasul1, Stephen A Stansfeld, Carole L Hart
1Department of Psychiatry, Bart's and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK. F.R.Rasul@qmul.ac.uk
Background:
Psychological distress has been associated with an increased risk of overall and disease-specific mortality risk. This study examines whether the length of follow-up time influences mortality risk.
Methods:
The associations between psychological distress and all-cause and coronary heart disease mortality were modelled using proportional hazards modelling in a prospective cohort study of 6920 men and women aged 45-64 years. Psychological distress was assessed at baseline using the 30-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30).
Results:
Psychological distress was associated with a 5-year all-cause mortality (RR 1.68 95% CI 1.07-2.62) and CHD mortality (RR 1.64 95% CI 1.02-2.56) in men after adjustment for sociodemographic and CHD risk factors, but not after further adjustment for baseline physical illness (RR 1.41 95% CI 0.88-2.23) for all-cause mortality (RR 1.39 95% CI 0.88-2.21) for CHD mortality. Psychological distress was not associated with all-cause and CHD mortality at 15- and 20-year follow-up.
Conclusions:
Psychological distress is a reflection of baseline physical illness that increases mortality risk. Psychological distress maybe on the causal pathway between physical illness and mortality risk.
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