Schizophrenia was found to be the most common primary psychiatric diagnosis among patients.
Irish researchers have suggested that patients with severe mental illness in secure forensic hospitals may face increased risks if infected with SARS-CoV-2.
They noted that relying solely on age-based guidelines for self-isolation may not be adequate, emphasizing the importance of improving physical health research and treatment in this population. This insight was gleaned from a study conducted at the National Forensic Mental Health Service (NFMHS) in Dublin.
Published in the January 2021 issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry (BJP), the study highlighted the high prevalence of treatment-resistant psychoses and physical comorbidities, such as obesity, among patients in secure forensic mental health services.
The researchers pointed out that individuals with obesity, lung disease, and compromised immune systems are considered high-risk groups for adverse outcomes in case of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The primary objective of the study was to assess the risk of adverse outcomes in the event of SARS-CoV-2 infection among forensic psychiatry patients using structured assessment tools.
All 141 NFMHS patients were evaluated for their risk of adverse outcomes in case of SARS-CoV-2 infection using specific assessment measures.
The results revealed a high prevalence of relevant physical comorbidities in the cohort, with an average age of 45.5 years.
Schizophrenia was the most common primary psychiatric diagnosis, affecting 68.1% of patients, followed by schizoaffective disorder (17%) and psychotic depression (3.5%).
Additionally, almost 60% of the patients were obese (BMI ≥ 30), 20.6% were overweight (BMI = 25–29), 19.9% had hypertension, and 22.7% had type II diabetes mellitus.
The researchers noted with concern that nearly one-third of the patient population met the criteria for high risk based on Covid-Age, with a Covid-Age of ≥70 years.
BJP; doi: 10.1192/bjo.2020.169.