Mortality Among Patients Admitted in a Psychiatric Facility: A Single-Centre Review

Abstract

Background: There is higher global mortality among persons living with mental illness than the general population, attributed to the risky behaviors associated with mental illness, medical comorbidities, or side effects of psychiatric medications that result in premature death among psychiatric in patients. Objective: This audit aimed to describe the characteristics of patients with mental illness who died during admission at a tertiary psychiatric ward in Uganda. Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of patients who died while admitted to a psychiatry ward between January 1995 to July 2020. Results: We reviewed 30 charts, of which 18 (60%) patients were women. The majority of patients died during 2002 (13.3%). Many were diagnosed with a brief psychotic disorder, 7 (23.3%), followed by bipolar disorder 6 (20.0%). HIV and epilepsy were the most common comorbidities. The majority of the death causes of death were unknown, 20 (66.7), but heart attack (n=2) was the most identified cause. Conclusion: The majority of the causes of mortality were unknown. The most common cause of mortality was heart attack, a common effect of metabolic disease and chronic antipsychotic use. Mortality audits are warranted to identify possible causes and to develop strategic interventions for mortality prevention.