Mortality in Qatari individuals with mental illness: a retrospective cohort study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Mental Health Research

Background:

• Global studies indicate elevated mortality rates for individuals with mental illness.
• Limited research exists on this disparity in Arab countries, specifically Qatar.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate mortality differences between individuals with and without mental illness in Qatar.
• To determine if the higher mortality observed in Western populations applies to Qatar.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study of Qatari nationals deceased in 2017-2018.
• Data collected from Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) Mortuary records.
• Analysis included age at death, cause of death, and sociodemographic/clinical data.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of mental illness among deceased individuals was 20.4%.
• Individuals with mental illness had a significantly higher age at death (76.5 years vs. 62.7 years).
• Higher mortality from infection and chronic respiratory disease, and lower mortality from accidental and congenital causes were observed in the mental illness group.

Conclusions:

• Contrary to prior research, higher mortality was not observed in Qatari individuals with mental illness.
• Potential contributing factors include sociocultural aspects, accessible healthcare, and effective comorbidity detection by mental health professionals.