Mortality Among Patients With Psychiatric Illness: a Ten-Year Case Register Study in an Area With a Community-Based System of Care

All South Verona patients with an ICD diagnosis who had psychiatric contacts with specialist services in 1982-1991 were included in this case register study. Mortality was studied in relation to gender, age, diagnosis, pattern of care & time since registration. The standardized mortality ratio for suicide was 17.41. Overall mortality was higher than expected, but lower than that reported in other psychiatric settings. The highest mortality risk was in the first year after registration.