Mortality in Danish Psychiatric Long-Stay Patients, 1972-1982

3 cohorts of Danish psychiatric patients hospitalized for a least one year in 1972, 1977 & 1982 were identified & followed until April 1988 regarding cause of death. A decline in both the standard mortality ratio & the reduction in relative risk was seen from the 1972 cohort to the 1982 cohort. To analyze cause of death, 282 long-stay patients in a 1984 cohort were followed for 5.5 years. 2 male subjects accounted for the 2% of deaths due to suicide in these patients. (34 refs.)