If you know five people, the chances are at least one is living with a mental health condition. More than 8.5 million Australians will need mental health treatment in their lifetime for conditions such as depression, anxiety, substance use, and psychosis. However, a startling statistic reveals that individuals with mental health issues die, on average, more than a decade earlier than those who do not access mental health support.
People aged 15-74 who are treated for mental illness comprise just over 22% of the total population. Yet, they account for almost half (49.3%) of all premature deaths. The vast majority of these deaths are due to physical health issues, which are largely preventable.
Life Expectancy Trends and Gaps
Over the past 30 years, Australians overall have enjoyed a five to six-year increase in life expectancy. This improvement is largely attributed to advancements in healthcare and healthier behaviors, such as reductions in smoking and early detection and treatment of cancer and heart disease. However, people with mental illness have not experienced the same gains, resulting in a widening gap in life expectancy.
This disparity affects a range of mental health conditions. Individuals with serious mental illnesses, such as psychosis, die on average 14 years earlier than the general population. Those with more common mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, also face a shorter life expectancy, dying 9-13 years earlier.
Causes of Premature Death
Contrary to popular belief, the life expectancy gap among people with mental illness is not primarily due to suicide. Suicide accounts for only 1.6% of deaths in this group. Instead, the leading causes of early death are preventable physical conditions such as cancer, heart disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes.
Our 2024 study used national data to analyze deaths from chronic diseases among people with mental illness. We found they were two to six times more likely to die prematurely than the rest of the population.
For instance, people with mental illness are five to six times more likely to die from breast or prostate cancer than the rest of the population and four times more likely to die from diabetes. Overall, this leads to 16,658 preventable deaths annually in this population.
Underlying Causes of Health Disparity
Many interconnected factors contribute to this health disparity, including discrimination, socioeconomic disadvantage, access barriers, medication side effects, and the symptoms of the mental illness itself. People with mental illness often face prejudice and discrimination, even from healthcare workers, making them reluctant to seek care. When they raise health concerns, they may not be believed, are seen to be exaggerating, or their symptoms are dismissed.
This phenomenon, known as diagnostic overshadowing, means someone’s mental health condition “overshadows” their physical health and other concerns, leading to serious health issues going undetected and untreated. Additionally, people with mental illness face challenges accessing preventative care and treatment. They are less likely to be vaccinated and much less likely to access screening and treatment for conditions such as cancer and heart disease, leading to diagnosis at more advanced stages and lower survival rates.
Social isolation, regional living, or socioeconomic disadvantage further exacerbate these access issues, increasing the likelihood of early death. Medication side effects, such as obesity from antipsychotic medications, also pose long-term health risks.
Steps Toward Change
Healthcare is a human right. For Australia to meet its commitments to the United Nations and reduce preventable deaths, it must ensure people with mental illness receive the same quality of care as the rest of the population. This involves educating the healthcare workforce about the dramatically higher risk of early death among people with mental illness and training staff to recognize and respond to physical health concerns without stigma.
Integrating general practitioners with community mental health teams and involving people with mental illness in designing policies and health services is crucial. Nationally funded programs for vaccination, smoking cessation, and cancer screening targeting people with mental illness are necessary. Regular monitoring and reporting can track progress and determine whether these programs are effective in closing the life expectancy gap.
As a friend, family member, carer, or health professional of someone with a mental illness, you can also contribute. Simple actions, such as asking when the person last had a physical health check-up, whether they have accessed cancer screenings and vaccinations, and if they need support, can make a significant difference. Helping them make or attend an appointment can be a crucial step.
If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Courtesy of The Conversation. This material from the originating organization/author(s) might be of the point-in-time nature, and edited for clarity, style, and length. Mirage.News does not take institutional positions or sides, and all views, positions, and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s).
