Increased prevalence of chronic physical health disorders in Australians with diagnosed mental illness

• Main Authors: David Scott, Karena Burke, Susan Williams, Brenda Happell, Doreen Canoy, Kevin Ronan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2012-10-01
• Series: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
• Subjects: mental disorders; chronic disease; obesity; comorbidity
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-6405.2012.00916.x
• ISSN: 1326-0200; 1753-6405

Abstract Objective: To compare chronic physical health disorder prevalence amongst Australian adults with and without mental illness. Method: Total n=1,716 participants (58% female) with a mean age of 52 ± 13 years (range: 18 to 89 years) completed an online survey of Australian adults in 2010. Outcome measures including prevalence of chronic physical conditions and self‐reported body mass index (BMI) in n=387 (23%) with a self‐reported mental illness diagnosis were compared to respondents without mental illness. Results: A significantly higher proportion of participants with mental illness were obese (BMI ≥ 30; 31 vs 24%, p=0.005). Adjusted odds ratios (OR) for coronary heart disease, diabetes, chronic bronchitis or emphysema, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, and food allergies or intolerances (OR range: 1.54–3.19) demonstrated that chronic physical disorders were significantly more common in participants with a mental illness. Conclusion: Australian adults with a diagnosis for mental illness have a significantly increased likelihood of demonstrating chronic physical health disorders compared to persons without mental illness. Implications: Health professionals must be alert to the increased likelihood of comorbid chronic physical disorders in persons with a mental illness and should consider the adoption of holistic approaches when treating those with either a mental or physical illness.