scholarly journals Cannabis use by people with severe mental illness – is it important?

2008 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 423-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zerrin Atakan

Cannabis use is more common among people with severe mental illness than in the general population. It has detrimental effects on the course of the illness, physical health and social life of users, as well as being a financial burden on health services. It is important to understand why some people with severe mental illness continue to use cannabis, despite experiencing its effects on their condition. This article reviews research on the scale of cannabis use by such patients, the effects on the course of their illness, possible reasons to explain why they use it, and how they can be assessed in clinical settings, as well as providing some assessment tools to measure various characteristics related to cannabis use.

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
I Aguinaga-Ontoso ◽  
A Brugos-Larumbe ◽  
S Guillén-Aguinaga

Abstract People with severe mental illness (SMI) that includes bipolar disorder or schizophrenia die on average 10-20 years sooner than the general population. Poor mental health can negatively affect quality of life and life expectancy more so than having multiple physical illnesses. The division between health services treating mental and physical health often means that patients suffering from both physical and mental conditions are at particular risk of poor care. Although more than 50 million people in the EU suffer multiple from more than one chronic disease, it is not well know the comorbidity associated with severe mental illness. Methods The study is a cross-sectional study within the APNA Study (Navarre primary health care prospective cohort) that included 470942 people over 18 years old in Navarre (Spain). Age, sex, chronic diseases diagnosis and SMI) that includes (bipolar disorder or schizophrenia were extracted. Lineal regression models for the number of chronic disease were computed. Logistic regression adjusted by sex and age, was computed for each chronic disease. Results Adjusting by age and sex, people with SMI have 1.47 (95% CI 1.44-1.50) more chronic diseases than people without SMI. Adjusting by age and sex, persons with SMI have a higher prevalence of comorbidity: OR = 13.29 (95% CI = 12.27-14.36). Patients with SMI have a higher prevalence of asthma OR = 1.41 (95% CI 1.21-1.64), COPD OR = 2.30 (95% CI 2.51-3.35), Type 2 DM OR = 1.50 (95% CI 1.31-1.70) hyperthyroidism OR = 1.63 (95% CI 1.26-2.10), Chronic kidney disease OR = 1.,43 (95% IC 1.10-1.88), Obesity OR = 1.68 (95% CI 1.47-1,92) and Hypothyroidism OR 1.63 (95% IC 1.43-1,85). Conclusions Patients with severe mental illness have a higher prevalence of comorbidity than the general population with an OR of 13.29. Health service should screen patient with severe mental illness for chronic diseases due to their high prevalence and mortality. Key messages Patients with severe mental illness die on average 10-20 years sooner than the general population this could be to a higher prevalence of comorbidity. Health services should screen patients with severe mental illness for chronic diseases due to their higher prevalence.


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (11) ◽  
pp. 456-460
Author(s):  
Sheila Hardy

People with severe mental illness have a higher mortality than the general population. Sheila Hardy explains how nurses can address the health disparities that people with severe mental illness face People with severe mental illness have a higher mortality than the general population, with the main cause of early death being from a physical condition. Practice nurses are well placed to address the health disparities that people with severe mental illness face. This article describes the reasonable adjustments that can be made to increase engagement with patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (11) ◽  
pp. 1107-1114
Author(s):  
Ruth Cunningham ◽  
James Stanley ◽  
Tracy Haitana ◽  
Suzanne Pitama ◽  
Marie Crowe ◽  
...  

Aims: There is very little empirical evidence about the relationship between severe mental illness and the physical health of Indigenous peoples. This paper aims to compare the physical health of Māori and non-Māori with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder in contact with NZ mental health services. Methods: A cohort of Māori and non-Māori with a current bipolar disorder diagnosis at 1 January 2010 were identified from routine mental health services data and followed up for non-psychiatric hospital admissions and deaths over the subsequent 5 years. Results: Māori with bipolar disorder had a higher level of morbidity and a higher risk of death from natural causes compared to non-Māori with the same diagnosis, indicating higher levels of physical health need. The rate of medical and surgical hospitalisation was not higher among Māori compared to non-Māori (as might be expected given increased health needs) which suggests under-treatment of physical health conditions in this group may be a factor in the observed higher risk of mortality from natural causes for Māori. Conclusion: This study provides the first indication that systemic factors which cause health inequities between Māori and non-Māori are compounded for Māori living with severe mental illness. Further exploration of other diagnostic groups and subgroups is needed to understand the best approach to reducing these inequalities.


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd P. Gilmer ◽  
Victoria D. Ojeda ◽  
Dahlia Fuentes ◽  
Viviana Criado ◽  
Piedad Garcia

2021 ◽  
pp. 000486742110314
Author(s):  
Rachael C Cvejic ◽  
Preeyaporn Srasuebkul ◽  
Adrian R Walker ◽  
Simone Reppermund ◽  
Julia M Lappin ◽  
...  

Objective: To describe and compare the health profiles and health service use of people hospitalised with severe mental illness, with and without psychotic symptoms. Methods: We conducted a historical cohort study using linked administrative datasets, including data on public hospital admissions, emergency department presentations and ambulatory mental health service contacts in New South Wales, Australia. The study cohort comprised 169,306 individuals aged 12 years and over who were hospitalised at least once with a mental health diagnosis between 1 July 2002 and 31 December 2014. Of these, 63,110 had a recorded psychotic illness and 106,196 did not. Outcome measures were rates of hospital, emergency department and mental health ambulatory service utilisation, analysed using Poisson regression. Results: People with psychotic illnesses had higher rates of hospital admission (adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.26; 95% confidence interval [1.23, 1.30]), emergency department presentation (adjusted IRR 1.17; 95% confidence interval [1.13, 1.20]) and ambulatory mental health treatment days (adjusted IRR 2.90; 95% confidence interval [2.82, 2.98]) than people without psychotic illnesses. The higher rate of hospitalisation among people with psychotic illnesses was driven by mental health admissions; while people with psychosis had over twice the rate of mental health admissions, people with other severe mental illnesses without psychosis (e.g. mood/affective, anxiety and personality disorders) had higher rates of physical health admissions, including for circulatory, musculoskeletal, genitourinary and respiratory disorders. Factors that predicted greater health service utilisation included psychosis, intellectual disability, greater medical comorbidity and previous hospitalisation. Conclusion: Findings from this study support the need for (a) the development of processes to support the physical health of people with severe mental illness, including those without psychosis; (b) a focus in mental health policy and service provision on people with complex support needs, and (c) improved implementation and testing of integrated models of care to improve health outcomes for all people experiencing severe mental illness.


BMJ ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 322 (7284) ◽  
pp. 443-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Phelan

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