Study: Severe Mental Illness Cuts Life Expectancy
The investigation, conducted by King’s Health Partners, Maudsley Charity, and the Policy Institute at King’s College London, describes this as a “hidden health crisis” affecting more than half a million people in the UK living with conditions such as schizophrenia, psychosis, and bipolar disorder.
Survey results reveal a striking knowledge gap: only one in nine respondents (11%) correctly identified the actual mortality disparity. In fact, SMI reduces life expectancy more than diabetes, severe obesity, or smoking, each of which typically cuts lives by up to 10 years.
Misconceptions about causes of early death among people with SMI were widespread. Half (50%) of those surveyed incorrectly believe suicide is the main driver, despite it accounting for just 9% of excess deaths. Few participants recognized that cardiovascular and respiratory diseases are the leading causes.
Awareness of social inequalities is also limited: only 14% knew that SMI is more prevalent among Black African and Black Caribbean Britons, while fewer than half acknowledged its links to higher deprivation and urban living.
Despite this lack of understanding, the public strongly supports intervention. Two-thirds (67%) believe better health care is necessary to improve life expectancy for individuals with SMI. Yet opinion remains divided on whether such improvements are feasible or should be prioritized by the NHS.
The survey also reflects a broader shift in public perceptions of health priorities. Mental health and cancer are now regarded as the UK’s top health challenges, each cited by approximately 45% of respondents. While 72% say mental and physical health are equally important, only 33% feel the health system treats them equally.
Professor Matthew Hotopf, deputy executive director at King’s Health Partners, emphasized the urgency of addressing this issue: “People with severe mental illness face one of the greatest health inequalities of our time, dying 15 to 20 years early. Yet our findings show the public has little awareness of the scale of this mortality gap, or that it’s driven primarily by treatable physical health conditions. This hidden health crisis demands urgent attention and King’s Health Partners is committed to driving this change.”
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