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Do Suicides and Accidental Deaths Solely Account for This Excess?

Ming T. Tsuang, MD, PhD; Robert F. Woolson, PhD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1978;35(10):1181-1185.

Abstract
• Excess mortality was found in the first decade of follow-up for schizophrenia and affective disorders. This trend continued for schizophrenia throughout the entire four decades of the follow-up period. Suicides were higher than expected for all psychiatric groups except female schizophrenics and male manics. Accidental deaths were higher in these two groups, which did not show significantly excessive suicide rates. Suicides and accidental deaths were then excluded from the mortality analysis to determine their contribution to excess mortality. We conclude that death due to suicides and accidental deaths is not the sole cause for excess mortality, especially in schizophrenia.

Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Psychiatry (Dr Tsuang) and Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health (Dr Woolson), University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication March 27, 1978.

Reprint requests to Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa College of Medicine, 500 Newton Rd, Iowa City, IA 52242 (Dr Tsuang).

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