Call to action for mental health services
People with psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, are five times more likely to die from Covid-19 and three times more likely to be hospitalised according to new research by University of Manchester health data scientists.
The most detailed study to date examining COVID-19 outcomes in people with different diagnoses of severe mental illness in the UK has published (7/12/21) in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.
SANE Chief Executive, Marjorie Wallace has responded to research:
“This significant study reveals disturbing findings, in particular that people with schizophrenia are five times more likely to die from Covid-19 than the general population.
“We call on mental health services to take urgent action to ensure that patients in their care are monitored carefully for both their mental and physical health. Callers to our helpline tell us they are too afraid to leave their home and go to vaccine centres, and may need the reassurance of having the choice of being vaccinated at home.
“Contributory factors to these outcomes may be poor general health, self-neglect or increased anxiety, which need extra care and support.”
