On
September 10-11, 2012, NIMH convened the meeting, “Research to Improve Health
and Longevity of People with Severe Mental Illness.” The purpose of the meeting
was to assess the state of the science in preventing and treating medical
conditions in people with severe mental illness (SMI) and identify the most
critically needed research to reduce early death in this vulnerable group.
The
11.4 million people in the U.S. with SMI carry a heavy disease burden, in
addition to having a mental illness. They die 11-32 years earlier than their
life expectancy from largely preventable comorbid medical conditions—e.g., heart
disease, diabetes, cancer, pulmonary disease, and stroke—which occur more
frequently and have earlier onset in this population. Low rates of prevention,
detection, and treatment further add to these health disparities. While
effective approaches to these common conditions and their health risk factors
exist for the general population, evidence is needed on how to bring these
effective strategies to people with SMI.
NIMH brought together leading
researchers on medical comorbidities in people with SMI and on prevention and
treatment within the general population for diabetes, heart disease, tobacco
use, and drug abuse. They were joined by policy leaders pioneering innovations
in their states to address comorbid medical conditions in people with SMI; advocates
for people with SMI; community mental health center leaders; representatives
from other NIH institutes, including the National Heart, Lung and Blood
Institute, the National Cancer Institute, and NIDA; and, representatives from
key federal agencies, including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Reposted at http://www.darkestcloset.blogspot.com,
