Pattern of mortality in a sample of Maryland residents with severe mental illness

In a cohort of Maryland Medicaid recipients with severe mental illness followed from 1993-2001, we compared mortality with rates in the Maryland general population including race and gender subgroups. Persons with severe mental illness died at a mean age of 51.8 years, with a standardized mortality ratio of 3.7 (95%CI, 3.6–3.7).