Mortality in a Cohort of Patients With Schizophrenia: a Record Linkage Study

This study reviews the mortality rates of 3,623 patients with schizophrenia who received treatment in Alberta between 1976 and 1985. There were 301 deaths, 97 of which were due to suicide. For all causes of death combined, the risk of mortality was approximately double that of the Alberta population. For suicide, risk was increased by a factor of 20. The authors estimate that life expectancy is approximately 20% shorter for this group than for the general population. (VM)