Psychiatric disorders may double Covid death risk: study

PEOPLE with a history of serious mental illness are twice as likely to die from Covid-19 compared to others who are infected with the virus, says an Israeli study.

The peer-reviewed research published in the journal, Molecular Psychology, showed that even years after hospitalisation such people were at increased risk of serious outcomes from the coronavirus, The Times of Israel reported.

The study also indicated that besides being twice as likely to die if infected, mentally ill patients were also twice as likely to be hospitalised.

“This report has significant implications, indicating that doctors should pay especially close attention to people with a history of psychiatric illness when they test positive,” lead researcher Professor Mark Weiser, director of the Psychiatric Division at Sheba Medical Centre, said.

Researchers analysed records of all 125 273 people aged 18-plus who had been hospitalised for psychiatric illness.

While the study focused only on Israel, Weiser said the results had relevance internationally, highlighting the need for authorities to develop strategies to reduce the virus’ impact on this group, the report said.

The increased risk could in part be due to factors which often went handin-hand with a history of psychiatric illness, such as obesity, smoking, failure to keep health appointments and other lifestyle choices, Weiser said.

But specific Covid-related factors also played a part, he stressed.

The team wrote in the study: “Our findings suggest that there is value in special public health measures to reach out to vaccinate these patients, many of whom do not come in to get vaccinated of their own accord.

“Efforts must be made to reach-out to vaccinate individuals with a history of hospitalisation for a psychiatric disorder, particularly older males with schizophrenia, who are both least likely to be vaccinated and are at highest risk for mortality,” they said. |