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News From the APA: Coexisting Severe Mental Disorders and Physical Illness

News From the APA:
Coexisting Severe Mental Disorders and Physical Illness

July 2003 — Mental disorders are medical illnesses and there is growing evidence of the undeniable link between the two. Individuals who do not have access to health care suffer doubly when their physical and mental health needs are unmet. The distinction between physical and mental health must be eliminated if we are to improve the lives of patients with severe mental illnesses.

Medical disorders can and do contribute biologically to mental disorders, and the data linking mental illnesses and other medical illnesses are compelling.

Depression occurs in 40 percent to 65 percent of patients who have experienced a heart attack, and in 18 percent to 20 percent of people who have coronary artery disease.
One in four people with cancer also suffer from depression.
The rate of depression among those with medical illnesses in primary care settings is estimated at 5 percent to 10 percent. Among those hospitalized, the rate isestimated at 10 percent to 14 percent.

The more serious the medical condition, the more likely the patient will experience clinical depression. The risk of depression is generally higher for people with serious medical illnesses such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. People with depression experience impairments in everyday functioning and a decreased ability to follow medical regimens, which can compromise their treatment for other medical conditions. Also, people with mental disorders are at higher risk for physical illness in part because, left untreated, their mental disorders may make them more likely to engage in behaviors such as smoking, substance abuse and unsafe sex.

People who are diagnosed and treated for coexisting illnesses often experience an overall improvement in their medical condition and in their quality of life. The link between mental disorders and physical illnesses must be addressed if both are to be treated successfully.

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