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Excess cancer mortality in Western Australian psychiatric patients due to higher case fatality rates
Author(s) -
Lawrence D.,
D'Arcy C.,
Holman J.,
Jablensky A. V.,
Threfall T. J.,
Fuller S. A.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0447.2000.101005382.x
Subject(s) - medicine , case fatality rate , incidence (geometry) , cancer , record linkage , cancer registry , mental illness , population , demography , mortality rate , psychiatry , mental health , environmental health , physics , sociology , optics
Objective: To investigate the association between mental illness and cancer incidence, mortality and case fatality. Method: A population‐based record linkage study was undertaken based on 172 932 patients of mental health services in Western Australia. Records of mental health service contacts were linked with cancer registrations and death records. Results: While there was little difference in overall cancer incidence rates between psychiatric patients and the general community (RR in males 1.05, 95% CI 1.02–1.09, RR in females 1.02, 0.98–1.05), cancer mortality was 39% higher in males (95% CI: 32–46%) and 24% higher in females (17–32%). Conclusion: People with mental illness in Western Australia do not show an increased incidence rate of cancer, but do have higher cancer mortality. This was attributed to a higher cancer case fatality rate among people with mental illness.