HTB

CROI 2022: Life expectancy reduced by eight years following hospitalisation for a mental health condition in South Africa

Kirk Taylor, HIV i-Base

CROI 2022CROI 2022 included a study from South Africa that predicted an eight year reduction in life expectancy for HIV positive people that had been hospitalised for a mental health condition.

Links between mental health and mortality were studied using records from a private HIV management programme in South Africa. Data from 122,853 HIV positive people that had median age of 39 (IQR: 33 to 46) at first hospital admission were analysed.

Hospitalisation for mental health disorders accounted for 8,505 cases and classified as depression (84%), substance abuse (12%), bipolar (10%), organic (6%) or psychotic disorders (3%).

Life years lost (LYL) were a prediction of reduction in life expectancy due to hospitalisation for a mental health condition. LYL was mostly accounted for by natural deaths. These data show that LYL was greater for men (9.2 years, 95% CI: 7.9 to 10.4) than women (6.6 years, 95% CI: 5.0 to 8.3). Furthermore, LYL were three times greater for organic vs non-organic causes at 16.6 years (95% CI 15.3 to 17.7).

comment

This study reports significant increase in mortality for HIV positive people that have been hospitalised for a mental health condition. However, this is a single-centre study with small sample size.

More data are required to determine whether this is a regional effect or more widely observed trend.

References

  1. Ruffieux et al. Excess life-years lost associated with hospitalization for mental illness. CROI 2022. 12-16 February 2022, virtual. Poster 766.
    https://www.croiconference.org/abstract/excess-life-years-lost-associated-with-hospitalization-for-mental-illness/

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