Abstract

The objective of this research was to compare mortality rates and the prevalence of chronic diseases between individuals with psychiatric disorders and the general population, and to identify which chronic illnesses pose a heightened risk of all-cause mortality, particularly among those with psychiatric conditions. The study analyzed data from a 2019 sample cohort derived from health assessments conducted by the Korean National Health Insurance Corporation in 2002. Findings revealed that individuals with mental health issues exhibited a higher overall mortality rate compared to those without such conditions (11.40% vs. 10.28%, p=0.0022). Moreover, several chronic diseases showed a greater prevalence and elevated risk of all-cause mortality among individuals with psychiatric disorders than in the general populace. Specifically, individuals with psychiatric disorders experiencing the same chronic illnesses demonstrated a heightened risk of all-cause mortality, notably in cases of cancer (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 2.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.488-2.614), liver cirrhosis (aHR 2.198, 95% CI 2.086-2.316), and arrhythmias (aHR 1.427, 95% CI 1.383-1.472), which emerged as the top three chronic conditions associated with increased risk. These findings underscore the elevated all-cause mortality risk among individuals with mental illness compared to their counterparts without such conditions, highlighting the importance of addressing chronic illnesses in clinical practice among individuals with mental health issues to mitigate the impact on overall mortality.