Covid-19 outcomes worse for psychiatric patients in secure units
Irish researchers have found that patients with severe mental illness detained in secure forensic hospitals may face increased risks if infected with SARS-CoV-2.
According to a study published in the January 2021 edition of the British Journal of Psychiatry (BJP), patients at the National Forensic Mental Health Service (NFMHS) in Dublin, particularly those with treatment-resistant psychoses, obesity, and other medical comorbidities, may be at a higher risk of adverse outcomes if infected with the virus.
The study, which assessed the risk of adverse outcomes in the event of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a population of forensic psychiatry patients, revealed high rates of physical comorbidities among the cohort with a mean age of 45.5 years.
Schizophrenia was the most common primary psychiatric diagnosis among the patients, followed by schizoaffective disorder and psychotic depression. Additionally, a significant portion of the sample were found to be obese, overweight, or diagnosed with hypertension and type II diabetes.
Researchers noted that almost one-third of the patients met the Covid-Age criteria for high risk, with a Covid-Age of 70 years or older, highlighting the urgent need for better physical health research and treatment in this group.
Reference: BJP; doi: 10.1192/bjo.2020.169.
