Health screening, cardiometabolic disease and adverse health outcomes in individuals with severe mental illness. Issue 6 (November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pearsall, Robert; Shaw, Richard J.; McLean, Gary; Connolly, Moira; Hughes, Kate A.; Boyle, James G.; Park, John; Smith, Daniel J.; Mackay, Daniel
• Is Part Of: BJPsych open. Volume 5:Issue 6(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-11
• Subjects: Screening, -- diabetes, -- antipsychotic medication, -- schizophrenia, -- physical health; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Mental health -- Periodicals; 616.89005
• DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2019.76
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2056-4724

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Poor physical health in severe mental illness (SMI) remains a major issue for clinical practice. Aims: To use electronic health records of routinely collected clinical data to determine levels of screening for cardiometabolic disease and adverse health outcomes in a large sample ( n = 7718) of patients with SMI, predominantly schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Method: We linked data from the Glasgow Psychosis Clinical Information System (PsyCIS) to morbidity records, routine blood results and prescribing data. Results: There was no record of routine blood monitoring during the preceding 2 years for 16.9% of the cohort. However, monitoring was poorer for male patients, younger patients aged 16–44, those with schizophrenia, and for tests of cholesterol, triglyceride and glycosylated haemoglobin. We estimated that 8.0% of participants had diabetes and that lipids levels, and use of lipid-lowering medication, was generally high. Conclusions: Electronic record linkage identified poor health screening and adverse health outcomes in this vulnerable patient group. This approach can inform the design of future interventions and health policy.