Gibbs A, Maripuu M, Öhlund L, Widerström M, Nilsson N, Werneke U. COVID-19-associated mortality in individuals with serious mental disorders in Sweden during the first two years of the pandemic- a population-based register study.
BMC Psychiatry 2024;
24:189. [PMID:
38454398 PMCID:
PMC10921643 DOI:
10.1186/s12888-024-05629-y]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Reports at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic suggested differences in COVID-19-associated mortality between individuals with serious mental disorders (SMD) and the population at large.
AIM
To compare the pattern of COVID-19-associated mortality in individuals with and without SMD in Sweden over the two main pandemic years.
METHODS
We compared the pattern of COVID-19-associated mortality in individuals with and without SMD in Sweden during 2020 and 2021. For SMD, we included psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, and severe depression. The analysis was based on summary data from the Swedish Board of Health and Welfare covering the entire adult Swedish population.
RESULTS
The overall relative risk (RR) for experiencing a COVID-19-associated death was 1.66 (CI 1.50-1.83; p < 0.001) for individuals with SMD versus individuals without SMD. The corresponding RRs were 3.25 (CI 2.84-3.71; p < 0.001) for individuals with psychotic disorder, 1.06 (CI 0.88-1.26; p = 0.54) for individuals with bipolar disorder, and 1.03 (CI 0.80-1.32; p = 0.80) for individuals with severe depression. Compared to their respective counterparts in the non-SMD group, in the psychotic disorder and severe depression group, the RR were higher in women than in men. In the bipolar disorder group, the RR was higher in men than in women. The RR of COVID-19-associated death was generally higher in younger individuals with SMD. Individuals with psychosis between 18 and 59 years had the highest RR of COVID-19-associated death with 7.25 (CI 4.54-11.59; p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Individuals with SMD, and particularly those with psychotic disorders, had a higher risk of COVID-19-associated death than the general population. As this is a pattern also seen with other infections, people with SMD may be similarly vulnerable in future pandemics.
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