Excess Mortality by Natural Causes of Italian Schizophrenic Patients

The risk of mortality was assessed over a 5 to 8 year period among a sample of schizophrenic patients. Excess mortality was found to be associated with schizophrenia. The rate was almost double the amount described in other studies. Possible reasons for these results are discussed, such as the small sample involved, poor medical care, or patients exposing themselves to risk factors like smoking. (VM)